


Frosted Heart

by SedatedDreams



Category: Warriors - Erin Hunter
Genre: Ancient Clans, Canon Compliant, Canon-Typical Violence, Crappy Father, Deaf Character, F/M, Family Drama, Found Family, Gen, M/M, Overcoming Ableism, Overcoming Xenophobia, Panic Attacks, Political Drama, References to Depression, RiverClan (Warriors), ShadowClan (Warriors), SkyClan (Warriors), Slow Romance, ThunderClan (Warriors), Warrior Cats, WindClan (Warriors), longfic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-08
Updated: 2021-02-07
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:22:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 39
Words: 229,369
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24611467
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SedatedDreams/pseuds/SedatedDreams
Summary: Many seasons before the era of Firestar, during the harshest leaf-bare that the five Clans of the Forest have ever seen, Frost, a young kit is left in ShadowClan.Rejected by her father and orphaned after the death of her mother, Frost struggles to find the place where she truly belongs.As she grows, she must fight to prove herself to her new Clan, while also unraveling the secrets of her parentage. But the state of the forest is fragile, and a storm of war looms ever closer, threatening Frost's place in the Clan that she now calls home.(A "soft-reboot" of Warriors. Basically entirely new cast of characters and conflict.)
Comments: 272
Kudos: 78





	1. Frost

**Author's Note:**

> In progress work. Cross-posting from Fanficition.net  
> This story takes place in the Ancient Clans, specifically during the time period following the story "The Leader Who Sought Peace" found in "Battles of the Clans." (which I headcanon to take place approximately 10 to 15 years before SkyClan is forced to leave the forest.) 
> 
> Just to give a quick re-cap, in "The Leader Who Sought Peace" the Clans are going through a horrible winter, and Morningstar, ThunderClan's leader begs the other Clan leaders for food at a Gathering, and they refuse him. Then rather than let ThunderClan starve, Morningstar goes to battle with WindClan. 
> 
> So, the leaders of the Clans in this story, as well as some ThunderClan characters like Leafstorm, Pearnose, and Mothwhisker are canon characters, but practically everyone else are my OC's. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy!!! :)

**Prologue**

There was nothing around the two cats but a forest of ice. Every barren tree was coated with with it, turning the ordinary woods into something otherworldly as the branches glistened in the sunlight. It was as beautiful as it was cruel and unforgiving.

The frost left nothing untouched, a constant reminder of the indiscriminate brutality of nature, and the two cats were certainly not spared from the savagery.

The she-cat's normally thick, fluffy white coat was ragged. The once beautiful grey point coloration on her face, tail, and paws appeared dull and dirty. Her ribs jutted out from under her thin coat, and her blue eyes were sunken deeply into her skull.

"Please, we need your help," the grey-and-white she-cat begged.

She took a step towards a fluffy white tom, the frozen grass crinkling under her paws like glass. The tom blinked his green eyes and tilted his head to the side.

"Why?" he asked with a yawn, his breath leaving a foggy trail through the air.

 _"'Why?'"_ the grey-and-white she-cat echoed incredulously, her eyes widening. "We're starving!"

The white tom swept a cursory gaze over the she-cat's thin form, but then he twitched his whiskers, appearing disinterested.

"That's not my problem, May," the white tom meowed.

May's blue gaze narrowed in outrage.

"What do you mean, _not your problem?_ " she hissed through her fangs.

"This has been one of the hardest leaf-bares in memory," the white tom meowed, his brow furrowing. "We're _all_ hungry. Rumor is that ThunderClan has barely any prey left at all."

"I don't care about ThunderClan," May said, shaking her ears in confusion.

"Well neither do I," the white tom said with a snort. "Mangy mice-munchers, all of them."

May's tail twitched.

"Don't change the subject!" she hissed.

The white tom heaved a sigh.

"Look, May," he said. "I'm sorry, but there's nothing I can do for you."

For a moment, May could do nothing but stare at him in shock as his words sunk in.

"If you do nothing, then I will die," May said with a low growl, her tail lashing behind her. "You do realize that, don't you?"

The white tom was quiet, glaring at her with his sharp green eyes. Pain clawed inside of May's chest at how distant his gaze looked.

"I will die and so will Frost. _Your own kit, Paledusk!_ She's the only one left!" May snarled, her voice breaking over the last few words.

Paledusk was still silent. He did not even give a tail twitch to betray his thoughts. The silence stretched on between them, and May felt a heavy weight sinking in her belly.

"I can't believe you," she whispered, clenching her jaw.

She flattened her bristling fur with difficulty. There was no point to it. He was larger than her, stronger, and better fed. It wasn't like she could fight him anyway. Paledusk rose to his paws to pad over to her.

"I'm sorry May. I really am," Paledusk meowed in his deep voice. "Things are just really hard in camp right now. Prey is scarce. The deputy is ill... SkyClan can't spare food for two more mouths to feed."

May felt a rush of fury inside her at the weak excuses.

"And, you can't let your precious clan-mates know that you fathered kits with a rogue!" she spat.

Paledusk blinked, his face expressionless.

"The Clan must come first, May," he rumbled.

"Mouse-dung!" May hissed.

"Come on, don't be like that," Paledusk meowed, coming over to May to press his pelt against her's.

"I thought you loved me!" May cried, pulling herself away from him and digging her claws into the frozen ground.

Paledusk was silent again, his green eyes as cold as the ice around them.

"I thought I did once too," he said.

May's eyes narrowed to furious slits.

"The blood of your children is on your paws," she said, her voice low.

"So be it," Paledusk meowed, turning away. "I won't lose sleep over the death of some kits I've never met."

 _"Go eat deathberries,_ Paledusk," May spat, her paws trembling with anger and her chest aching as her heart shattered beneath her ribs.

Paledusk's tufted ears pricked, and he stopped walking.

"You better run, May," Paledusk growled quietly from over his shoulder. "A patrol is coming."

May froze in place. She could hear the distant sounds of cats pushing their way through the bushes, then some yowls as they picked up an unfamiliar scent.

Her scent.

"A trespasser!" The faint cry drifted over to her.

Paledusk whipped around, facing May again.

"She's over here!" Paledusk shouted, baring his teeth at May. "It's a rogue."

May's fur bristled as panic surged through her.

"What are you doing?!" she spat, cowering down and backing away from him.

She could hear the SkyClan patrol approaching, crashing through the undergrowth as they sprinted closer.

"Where are you Paledusk?" someone on the patrol cried.

Paledusk curled his lip up at May in an ugly snarl. With a battle-cry, he sprung at her, flashing a paw out to score his claws through May's flesh.

May cried out as searing pain ripped down her shoulder, then she turned tail and took off.

Her legs shook as she ran, panting and bleeding. But, she couldn't slow. She could hear Paledusk and the rest of the SkyClan patrol behind her, only a few tail lengths away. Finally, she reached the scent markers, shooting over them and into the unclaimed territory beyond.

"Yeah, stay out, you prey-stealer!" a SkyClan cat shouted from behind her.

"Mangy rogue!" another jeered.

"If I see your face around here again, I'll rip your throat out," Paledusk snarled.

May ran, her head down and blood streaming down her side.

* * *

This forest was unfamiliar. Towering pine trees framed the world around May. She could still make out the green color of their needles beneath the layer of ice. The color felt strange; out of place for winter. It didn't seem possible that these trees could still be alive despite the cold.

May felt like she was barely clinging to life herself. Her paws were numb and aching, and her shoulder wound was still dripping blood. But, May had a tiny, fluffy creamy-white kit at her paws. May was all she had in this world, and she was all May had left too. So, the she-cat silently clenched her jaw and continued onwards. No matter what, she had to keep going for her.

"I'm tired, Mama," the tiny kit squeaked, teetering on unsteady legs.

"I know, baby. Just a bit further," May meowed.

It was hard to encourage her daughter when she was so exhausted herself. Every step she took felt like a mile. Her legs trembled and her breath was laborious like she had been running for days.

"Are we going to see Daddy?" the tiny kit said, stumbling along beside her.

"No we aren't," May said, closing her eyes briefly as burning anger and pain washed over her. "Your dad is..."

May glanced down at her kit and felt the words get stuck in her throat. Her kit blinked up at her with huge pale blue eyes. May could see the faintest hint of grey on her kit's nose. She knew it would darken in these coming moons, along with the fur on her tail and paws to the same grey on May's face, tail, and feet.

If she made it through these moons.

Her kit looked skeletal, with ribs that poked out under her downy, soft kit-fur and eyes that seemed much too big for her sharp, bony face, and teetering stick-thin legs.

"Don't talk," May murmured, bending her head to nudge her kit forward with her nose. "Save your strength for walking."

"But, I don't want to walk," the kit cried. "I'm so hungry Mama. And, cold. I want to sleep."

A rush of panic flashed through May.

"You can't sleep!" May said, whirling on her kit.

Her kit blinked hard, stumbling backwards and onto her haunches in surprise. Her kit let out a faint whimpering cry, which hurt May more than her aching paws, bleeding wounds, or the pangs of hunger in her belly combined.

"I'm sorry, Frost. I'm so sorry," May cried, wrapping herself around her kit.

She pressed her thin coat to Frost, trying to offer her as much protection from the cold wind as she could. Frost nuzzled into her fur, and May pressed her muzzle to Frost's head. Underneath the sharp bite of ice and snow, she could still scent Frost's sweet kit-smell. May took a deep, trembling breath of it and held it in her lungs. She didn't want to breathe out, in fear that this could be the last time she ever smelt that sweetness.

"You can't sleep, baby. If you sleep you might not wake up," May whispered, her shoulders shaking as she forced the words out.

"Like Rain and Snow?" Frost whispered into May's pelt.

May trembled in grief. She screwed her eyes shut, thinking of Frost's brothers- her dead sons. She saw their tiny, stiff forms in her mind. Killed by hunger and the cold before their lives could even properly begin.

"Yes, Frost," May whispered.

"Don't worry, Mama," Frost mewed, peering up at her. "I'll never leave you."

"Sometimes you don't have a choice, baby," May whispered, her voice choked up as she stroked Frost's fur with her tail.

"I smell trespassers!" a voice cried from nearby, causing May's head to jerk up in fear.

May looked over and saw a patrol of cats stride out of the shadows of the pine trees. A light brown tabby tom with long legs was at its head. A silver tom dappled with black spots and stripes was at his side. Behind him was a ginger she-cat and a smaller black tom. May didn't even rise from the ground to meet them. She didn't have the strength left in her body. Instead, she just wrapped her tail around Frost, hiding her from sight.

"Get out of here, rogue!" the dappled silver tom snarled, looming over May.

May cowered down, tucking her tail more tightly around her kit.

"Put your claws away, Swoopstrike. Can't you see she's not a threat?" the light brown tabby tom said to the dappled silver tom, his voice mild. "She's all bones and fur."

"She's trespassing!" Swoopstrike protested, but he obeyed, taking a step back and sheathing his claws.

May blinked.

"...I know I'm on ShadowClan territory," she broke in, her voice hoarse.

"You do?" the light brown tabby said in surprise, turning away from Swoopstrike.

"I came here because I need your help. Please," May begged.

"You don't seem to be in good shape," the light brown tabby commented, gaze flickering over her ragged pelt. "But, why have you come to ShadowClan for help?"

"I—I thought ShadowClan might take me in," May stammered.

"We don't take in strays," Swoopstrike said, his tail tip twitching.

May felt her gut twist in dread as she gazed up at them with wide blue eyes. Were all clan-cats so heartless? Would ShadowClan drive her away too?

"Please," May begged. "I have a kit."

She moved her tail to reveal Frost by her side. During the few moments that the ShadowClan patrol had appeared, Frost had fallen asleep on her flank. She twitched faintly as May touched her nose to her head to make sure she was still breathing.

"She won't make it much longer. Her litter-mates are already dead," May meowed, her voice pleading. "I can't find food; I don't have the milk to feed her. I can't lose her too."

The ginger she-cat on the patrol padded up to May and Frost. May tensed as she approached, but she didn't move away. Her gaze was full of sorrow and empathy, which made May sense that she was a mother too. The she-cat gently touched her nose to Frost's side.

"The poor thing," she whispered, her green eyes round with pity.

The ginger cat straightened, turning to the light brown tabby tom.

"We have to help them, Sedgestar," she meowed. "They won't last two more sunrises on their own."

"Sedge _star?"_ May meowed, her eyes widening as she turned back to the tabby tom. "You're ShadowClan's leader?"

"...You seem to know an awful lot about our customs for a rogue," Sedgestar meowed, his voice slightly wary.

"Her father is a clan cat," May murmured, nodding towards Frost as she felt her heart sink with shame and betrayal at the thought of Paledusk. "He taught me some things... like how all the leader's names end in 'star.'"

"A clan cat? A ShadowClan cat?" Sedgestar asked, tensing as his amber eyes flashed.

"No," May meowed quietly, her ears flattening. "SkyClan."

"Ah," Sedgestar said, relaxing slightly. "Who?"

May was silent, her jaw clenching.

She couldn't make herself say his name.

Even though at this moment, May would've loved to claw Paledusk's lying pelt off, she couldn't deny the fact that a part of her still loved him, and she _hated_ herself for it. She hated that she couldn't out him to ShadowClan's leader without a second thought.

Paledusk had told her that the Clans were enemies, always fighting with each other. What pain would be given to Paledusk if Sedgestar found out he broke the rules of the Clans? Would it get him killed? Would ShadowClan and SkyClan fight over it?

"Why haven't you gone to him in SkyClan?" Sedgestar asked, dropping the question for the moment.

May lashed her tail.

"They won't have us. Her father is who did this to me," May muttered darkly, nodding towards the wound on her shoulder.

Sedgestar took a few steps towards her to get a better look at the cuts. May flinched away as he approached, half expecting him to hurt her as Paledusk had, but he didn't lay a paw on her.

"Don't worry," Sedgestar growled, locking his gaze with May's after glancing at her wound. "ShadowClan is not so dishonorable. You and your kit are welcome to stay with us for now. We will take you to our camp."

May felt a surge of relief in her chest that shook her down to her bones.

Frost would be alright. Her last kit would survive.

May's throat closed up in emotion.

"Thank you, Sedgestar," May gasped, stumbling to her feet. "I will do whatever it takes to make this up to you."

Frost's eyes flickered open, and she mewed weakly as her mother's warm side against her vanished. A sudden surge of weakness rushed over May, and she swayed on her paws, almost falling over before Sedgestar stepped in, allowing her to steady herself on his side.

"It is our pleasure...?" Sedgestar meowed, blinking at her questioningly.

"May," May said.

"May," Sedgestar repeated with a nod, his amber eyes kind. "Emberflower, will you carry the kit?"

The ginger she-cat scooped up the kit, gently securing her scruff in her jaws.

"She's so light," Emberflower gasped, her brow furrowing in concern.

Sedgestar glanced over at the tiny kit in Emberflower's mouth.

"And she is?" he asked.

"Frost," May said. "Her name is Frost."

* * *

**_The Ancient Clans_ **

**_Allegiances:_ **

**Cats outside of Clans:**

May— a thin, fluffy grey-point she-cat with blue eyes (former mate: Paledusk. Mother of Frostkit)

**ShadowClan:**

**Leader:** Sedgestar— a light brown, long legged, tabby tom with amber eyes (mate: Emberflower)

 **Deputy:** Grovepelt— a pale brown tom with a greying muzzle and green eyes

 **Medicine cat:** Clearstream— a fluffy light grey tabby she-cat with blue eyes

 _ **Apprentice:**_ Elmclaw— a dark tabby tom with green eyes

 **Warriors:** Emberflower— a ginger she-cat with green eyes (mate: Sedgestar)

 **Apprentice:** Beepaw— a black tom

Darkpelt— a black tom (mate: Larkfoot)

 _ **Apprentice:**_ Hootpaw— a grey tom

Weaseltail— a brown tabby and white tom with amber eyes and a long tail (mate: Redclaw)

Kestrelmoon— a pale cream tom (mate: Amberberry)

Dustleap—a light ginger tom

 _ **Apprentice:** _Thornpaw— a brown tabby tom

Dawntail— a fluffy grey and white she-cat

Marshnose— a brown tabby tom with a white muzzle

Fogfur— a fluffy grey tom with green eyes

Snakeeyes— a sleek white she-cat with a blue eye and a green eye (mate: Rowanheart)

 _ **Apprentice:**_ Leafpaw— a grey tabby she-cat

Swoopstrike— a dappled silver tabby tom with green eyes

Dappledpelt— a tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes

Rowanheart— a ginger tom (mate: Snakeeyes)

 **Queens:** Larkfoot— a pale tabby she-cat (mate: Darkpelt. Dampkit— a black tom, Dewkit— a grey she-cat)

Redclaw— a tortoiseshell she-cat with dark ginger patches and green eyes (mate: Weaseltail. Pinekit— a black she-cat with amber eyes, Poolkit— a black and white tom with amber eyes, Autumnkit— dark ginger and white tom with amber eyes.)

Amberberry— a golden she-cat (mate: Krestrelmoon. Mosskit— a pale cream she-cat, Murmurkit— a pale golden she-cat)

Adopted Kit: Frostkit— a fluffy tabby grey-point she-cat with tufted ears, blue eyes, and white paws (Raised communally by the Queens.)

 **Elders:** Treefur— a dark brown tom with poor eyesight

Greytail— a grey she-cat

Flymask— a black and white tom

**SkyClan:**

**Leader:** Fennelstar— a pale brown tom with bushy fur

 **Deputy:** Robinsong— a tortoiseshell she-cat with a ginger belly.

 **Medicine cat:** Swallowfur— a blue-grey she-cat

 **Warriors:** Paledusk— a fluffy white tom with tufted ears and green eyes

Sparrowheart— a dappled brown tabby she-cat

 **Apprentice:** Yewpaw— a dark brown tabby tom

Cloudleap— a long legged grey and white tom

Brokenbranch— a ginger tom with a bend in his tail

Mapleflight— a dark ginger tom

Stormfang— a grey tom

Poppyfur— a tortoiseshell she-cat

Suneyes— a grey she-cat with bright amber eyes

 **Queens:** Doepelt— a light brown tabby she-cat (Larchkit— a light brown tabby she-cat, Aspenkit— a grey she-cat, Oakkit— a grey tabby and white tom)

 **Elders:** Birdstrike— a heavily scarred, pale grey and white she-cat

**RiverClan:**

**Leader:** Willowstar— a grey tabby, sleek furred she-cat

 **Deputy:** Perchpelt— a brown tabby tom

 **Medicine cat:** Pebblestripe— a dark grey tabby tom

 **Warriors:** Violetfur— a black she-cat

Stoneripple— a grey tabby tom

 **Apprentice:** Turtlepaw— a brown and white tom

Waterwhisker— a fluffy ginger and white she-cat

Heronfur— a brown tabby tom

Ospreyscar— a brown and white tom with a long scar down his side

Wavepelt— a grey she-cat with long, wavy fur

Rainspot— a dappled black and white she-cat

 **Apprentice:** Murkpaw— a black tom

 **Queens:** Reedheart— a tortoiseshell she-cat (Otterkit— a dark brown she-cat, Hailkit— a white and grey she-cat)

Sandpelt— a pale ginger she-cat

 **Elders:** Fishtail— a white and grey tom with a long tail

Sleekclaw— a nearly blind, once beautiful tabby she-cat

**ThunderClan:**

**Leader:** Morningstar— a pale grey tom

 **Deputy:** Leafstorm— a ginger she-cat with green eyes

 **Medicine cat:** Pearnose— a dark brown tabby she-cat

 **Apprentice:** Fallowpaw— a pale brown and white tom

 **Warriors:** Pineclaw— a dark brown tom with a big rip in one ear

Beechfur— a brown tabby tom

 **Apprentice:** Rockpaw— a grey tom

Fernclaw— a tortoiseshell she-cat

Acornear— a brown tom

Nettlepelt— a dark grey she-cat with spiky fur

 **Apprentice:** Foxpaw— a ginger she-cat

Birchtail— a grey and white tom

Brambledapple— a tabby and white she-cat

 **Queens:** None

 **Elders:** Mothwhisker— a brown tom with a lot of patchy, greying fur

**WindClan:**

**Leader:** Rabbitstar— a light ginger tom with large ears

 **Deputy:** Wheatfur— a golden tabby she-cat

 **Medicine cat:** Falconpelt— a brown tabby tom

 **Warriors:** Tumblefox— a ginger tom

 **Apprentice:** Eaglepaw— a golden-brown tom

Slatepelt— a grey she-cat

Runningfoot— a dark tabby tom

Oatbreeze— a tortoiseshell and white she-cat

Volefur— a pale grey tom

Pounceclaw— a black tom

Nighteyes— a black and white she-cat with blue eyes

Stormcloud— a grey tabby and white tom

 **Queens:** Thrushleap— a tan tabby she-cat (mate to Rabbitstar)

 **Elders:** Harepelt— a brown tom with a grey muzzle

Deerdash— a long-legged tabby she-cat


	2. Welcome to ShadowClan

**Book 1: Frozen Pines**

Frost blinked awake, nestled safe and warm in a soft, mossy nest in the nursery of the ShadowClan camp.

The nursery under the thorn bush was crowded with queens and kits despite the bitter leaf-bare that locked the forest in its jaws. There were three ShadowClan queens—Larkfoot and her five moon old kits Dampkit and Dewkit. Amberberry with her newborns, Mosskit and Murmurkit. And, Redclaw with her kits Pinekit, Poolkit, and Autumnkit, who were around a moon and a half old, only a few sunrises older than Frost.

Frost and her mother had only been in the nursery for a few sunrises, but Frost was already feeling much better. Her paws no longer trembled when she stood, and her skin no longer ached with the cold. She was warm now, and her belly was full for the first time that she could remember. Her mother also had been given fresh-kill to eat, and she shared some small pieces with Frost.

The queens all seemed nice enough, although Frost had barely left her mother's side since they got there, and so she hadn't really spoken to them. Although, Redclaw, the queen with black fur and bright red patches, had shared some milk with Frost since May's milk hadn't come back in yet.

The stranger cat that Frost saw the most, out of even the other queens, was a cat named Clearstream, the one the others called "medicine cat." Frost didn't understand a lot of the words some of the other cats used. But, she didn't like this "medicine cat." Clearstream was soft spoken with gentle blue eyes, but she kept making Frost and her mother eat these terrible tasting leaves.

Frost sighed and wrinkled her nose up at the thought. She wondered if Clearstream or her "apprentice-" _another strange word-_ Elmclaw would come by with more leaves today. She hoped not.

Frost went to snuggle into her mother's side but quickly recoiled with surprise when she felt that her mother's fur was cold. Frost's brow furrowed in confusion.

"Mama?" Frost peeped, pressing a paw to her mother's side.

May did not stir. She remained curled up, her eyes shut and her fluffy tail covering her muzzle. Her face looked calm.

"Mama?" Frost called a bit louder, trying to wake her.

Redclaw stirred in her nest, her three kits still calmly sleeping by her belly.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

Frost didn't reply, instead she continued to prod at her mother with her paw, trying to rouse her.

"Oh no," Redclaw muttered. "Larkfoot!"

Larkfoot, a pale tabby queen, blinked awake in her nest.

"Go get Clearstream!" Redclaw meowed.

Larkfoot's eyes widened as she shot one look at May and Frost, then she got to her paws and dashed out of the den.

"Where are you going?" Dewkit meowed, blinking awake as her mother bounded out of the nursery.

Frost hardly noticed Larkfoot leave. She couldn't focus on anything but the mounting concern in her belly. What was happening to her mother?

Only a few moments later, Larkfoot was back, with Clearstream in tow, along with Elmclaw and Sedgestar. Frost recoiled at the sight of the grey tabby, her eyes widening as the already crowded nursery was suddenly filled to the brim with cats.

Clearstream's brow was furrowed, her eyes concerned.

"…She was so weak when she got here. She wasn't improving much, but I thought she could still pull through…" Clearstream was meowing, walking up to May.

Frost crouched down, flattening herself against the moss of the nest as her eyes flashed with confusion and fear.

Clearstream bent down and pressed her ear to May's chest. Then she straightened, sadly shaking her head.

"A shame," Sedgestar said in his deep meow. "I saw a warrior's spirit in her."

Sedgestar nodded towards the exit of the den.

"Let's take her body out," he meowed.

Frost's eyes widened in terror as Elmclaw and Clearstream flanked May and lifted her between them. May slouched between them, her head lolling as the medicine cats picked her up from the nest, heading towards the entrance of the nursery.

"Wait!" Frost meowed, suddenly finding her voice as she scrambled to her paws.

"Where are you taking her? Stop!" Frost cried as they walked May outside.

"Stay here, little one," Elmclaw rumbled, flashing her a glance of his sharp green eyes over his shoulder.

"Come here, Frostkit," Redclaw called softly, getting to her paws.

 _"My name is Frost!"_ Frost meowed, stumbling after May.

"Mama!" Frost yowled.

Redclaw padded over to her, wrapping her tail around her to stop her.

 _"Mama!"_ Frost wailed, trying to scramble away from her.

"Shh, she's gone," Redclaw meowed, reaching a paw out to block Frost.

Frost froze at her words.

It couldn't be true. Her mother couldn't be gone like Rain and Snow. Frost needed her. She couldn't've left her alone.

"Mama…" Frost repeated weakly.

"It'll be okay little one," Redclaw said softly, pulling Frost close again.

Frost was silent. She stood still, quiet and stiff as Redclaw nuzzled her head, and Redclaw's unfamiliar fur and scent enveloped her.

* * *

"I just don't understand why we have to play with _her!"_ Autumnkit complained, his brow furrowed as he blinked angrily up at Redclaw.

"Because leaving Frostkit out is mean." Redclaw's voice was stern, and her eyes sharp as she glared down at her son.

Frostkit sat silently at Redclaw's side, staring down at the ground with an empty gaze.

"But, look at her just sitting there!" Pinekit meowed with a sniff, wrinkling up her black nose. "She's no fun!"

Frostkit continued to sit in silence, scuffling her paws on the mossy nursery fur. She was unable to look at the other kits.

"Yeah! And, she's a rogue!" Poolkit chimed in. "Beepaw told me; he was on the patrol that found her."

"Rogues aren't supposed to be in ShadowClan," Pinekit added haughtily.

"So, we don't want to play with her," Autumnkit finished, giving his dark ginger and white pelt a self-satisfied shake.

"Too bad you have no choice in the matter," Redclaw growled. "Frostkit isn't going anywhere, so you three better learn to play nice."

Poolkit, Autumnkit, and Pinekit muttered unhappily to each other with twitching tails as Redclaw bent her head to nudge Frostkit forward with her muzzle.

"Go on, Frostkit," Redclaw said.

Quietly, Frostkit walked over to the other kits.

"Ugh, fine," Pinekit meowed. "But, she's not on my team!"

"I'm with Pinekit!" Poolkit meowed quickly, bounding over to his sister.

"Hey!" Autumnkit protested as Pinekit and Poolkit dashed out of the nursery.

He sighed, looking over at Frostkit. Frostkit stared back at him with large, pale blue eyes.

"Alright, come on," Autumnkit muttered, walking out of the den slowly as Frostkit silently followed.

Frostkit blinked as her eyes adjusted to the bright sunlight outside of the den. The air was cold, but the sun was shining brightly. A chilly leaf-bare breeze blew through camp, but Frostkit barely felt it. She had gotten bigger since May's death, stronger too, and her coat had gotten thicker and longer. Her pelt was a creamy-white everywhere but her face, tail, and paws. They were a light grey, just like her mother. But, she hadn't seen those markings on any other cat in camp. Although, maybe there were other cats she hadn't seen... she was still getting used to number of cats in the ShadowClan. There was almost an overwhelming amount.

"Okay, we get to be ShadowClan warriors," Pinekit meowed, gesturing with her tail to herself and Poolkit. "You two are ThunderClan!"

"Why do we have to be ThunderClan!" Autumnkit protested, his expression sulky.

"Because you two are smelly mice-munchers," Pinekit meowed with a smug whisker twitch.

"Am not!" Autumnkit gasped, springing at Pinekit.

He bowled his sister over, and they went tumbling head over tail.

"Get Frostkit!" Pinekit meowed to Poolkit. "Smelly ThunderClan warriors are attacking!"

Poolkit sprung at Frostkit, but she neatly ducked under his leap. Poolkit turned and swiped at her, and again Frostkit leapt out of his way. Poolkit pounced with a irritated snarl, his growing frustration obvious, but Frostkit just dodged once more. Poolkit was big and clumsy, while Frostkit was small, nimble and quick.

"Aren't you going to fight me, mouse-heart!" Poolkit meowed, his black-and-white tail twitching. "ShadowClan never runs from a fight!"

Frostkit was silent, hanging back a safe few tail-lengths away from him. Poolkit frowned at her.

"You're no fun!" Poolkit said, before turning to spring at Autumnkit instead.

He and Pinekit quickly ganged up on Autumnkit, and soon they had their brother pinned, squeaking and withering under them.

"Let me up!" Autumnkit cried.

"Can't you fight us, Autumnkit?" Pinekit taunted, her black tail waving victoriously in the air. "Or, are you as weak as a WindClan cat?"

"I'm not WindClan! And, I'm not weak!" Autumnkit hissed, futilely struggling under his siblings paws.

"Oh, yeah? Then why are you so—" Pinekit began. _"Oomph!"_

Pinekit's mew was cut short when Frostkit leapt at her, barreling her over and sending the two of them tumbling through the dirt. Autumnkit buckled with more vigor from under Poolkit, managing to shake him off.

"Get off me, rogue!" Pinekit spat furiously, grappling with Frostkit on the ground.

Frostkit narrowed her pale blue eyes at Pinekit, flipping over on top of her.

"Watch out Frostkit!" Autumnkit meowed.

Frostkit turned and saw Poolkit leaping at her. Frostkit ducked under Poolkit, and sprung off of Pinekit. Poolkit and Pinekit whirled to face her, side by side. They stalked up to Frostkit with snarls. Frostkit crouched close to the ground, quickly backpedaling away from them.

Then Frostkit felt a rush of air over her as Autumnkit sprung over her head, landing in front of her and rearing back on his hindpaws. He sent his siblings flying with two powerful swats of his paws before falling back onto all four of his feet.

"Ow! You hit me really hard, Autumnkit!" Poolkit meowed accusingly, reaching a paw up to his sore jaw.

"I've had enough of this _dumb game!"_ Autumnkit snapped. "You two aren't playing fair!"

Pinekit scowled at him, her tail twitching.

"What's the matter with you? Normally you're fun," she said, glaring at Autumnkit.

"I'm going back to the nursery," Autumnkit grumbled, turning around with a swish of his dark ginger tail.

Frostkit silently followed Autumnkit away, not looking at Poolkit or Pinekit.

"Leave me alone," Autumnkit meowed to Frostkit as they entered the bramble tunnel that led to the nursery. "It's your fault that they're being so mean."

Frostkit hesitated, her paws faltering. She felt her stomach tighten as if she ate a rock, and she stared down at the ground.

Autumnkit cast a glance back at her over his shoulder. He sighed.

"I guess you can't help it that you don't have any friends," he muttered.

Frostkit had been gazing at her paws, but she lifted her eyes to meet Autumnkit when he said that. Autumnkit and Frostkit just stared at each other in silence for a few heartbeats.

"Do you ever say anything at all?" Autumnkit meowed, his brow furrowing.

"…Yeah," Frostkit said softly in reply.

"Oh," Autumnkit said with a blink of surprise.

Autumnkit turned back towards the nursery.

"Well, come on then," he meowed, disappearing into the bramble thicket.

Frostkit padded forward and followed him into the nursery.

* * *

Redclaw hesitated at the edge of the big Oak Tree's roots, near the entrance of the leader's den.

"Come in, Redclaw," Sedgestar meowed from inside the den, scenting her presence.

Redclaw twined her way through the twisting root tunnel, coming out into the warm, but dimly lit den, cozily lined with moss. Sedgestar sat in the center of the den with his brown-striped tail wrapped neatly around his paws. Sedgestar's mate Emberflower sat to his left, and the deputy Grovepelt sat to his right.

"You asked to see me?" Redclaw meowed, eyeing the cats before her.

"Yes," Sedgestar meowed, inclining his head to her. "Have a seat, Redclaw."

Redclaw obeyed, settling onto the soft moss.

"As you know, tonight is the night of the gathering," Sedgestar said. "And, so I must decide what to tell the other Clans about our newest member, Frostkit."

"Yes…" Redclaw meowed slowly, not sure where the leader was going with this.

"Frostkit has been under your care for some paw-fuls of sunrises now. So, tell me, what has she said of her father?" Sedgestar asked.

"Nothing," Redclaw meowed, her brow furrowed at the unusual question. "I mean, I think she knows she has a father. But, she's never met him. She's not even told me his name."

Sedgestar nodded.

"I see…" he meowed, his gaze thoughtful.

"I assumed he is just some rogue, like her mother... is he not?" Redclaw meowed.

Sedgestar was silent. Redclaw gazed at him.

"If I may…" Redclaw said, her voice hesitant. "Why are you asking me about this, Sedgestar?"

Sedgestar's glanced at Redclaw.

"Frostkit's father is not a rogue. He is a SkyClan warrior," Sedgestar meowed.

"What?" Redclaw said as her eyes stretched wide. "Who?"

"I don't know," Sedgestar said, shaking his head. "I thought Frostkit may, but it seems like she does not. The identity of her father appears to have died with May."

Sedgestar shot a sharp glance at Redclaw.

"How does Frostkit get along with the other kits? Have they accepted her?" he asked.

"Wait a moment," Redclaw meowed, ignoring his questions as her tone turned more accusative. "Are you thinking of getting rid of her? Giving Frostkit to SkyClan!?"

Sedgestar sighed.

"May told me that she met with her mate and tried to seek shelter with SkyClan, but that he drove her away," Sedgestar meowed. "However, the warrior code forbids the negligence of kits in need. If I were to bring up Frostkit during the gathering, in front of all of the Clans and their leaders, Fennelstar would have no choice but to take Frostkit in, or face backlash from all of the Clans."

"Why do you want to get rid of her?" Redclaw demanded, the red and black fur on her back rising defensively. "And, send her to a father that doesn't want her? She's just a kit! She's done nothing wrong!"

"I have nothing against Frostkit. I am not heartless, Redclaw," Sedgestar said, shooting her a look out of narrowed amber eyes. "I am just trying to do what is best for my Clan. We are in the middle of a difficult leaf-bare. And, the nursery is full of ShadowClan-born kits. We have no space or fresh-kill to spare."

"How do you know that the father will step forward? SkyClan could just say that you're lying," Redclaw pointed out. "And, if it is fresh-kill you are worried about, then Frostkit can have my share."

"And, mine," Emberflower said, shooting her mate a pointed look.

Sedgestar glanced over at Emberflower and his gaze softened.

"Is this truly what you want?" Sedgestar asked, looking back at Redclaw. "You already have your paws full with three other kits to raise."

"Frostkit hasn't even been here for a moon," Redclaw meowed, raising her chin to meet her leader's gaze levelly. "But, I already love her as I do Autumnkit, Pinekit, and Poolkit. Besides, I won't be raising her alone. Amberberry and Larkfoot have been more than willing to help care for her. Surely the three of us will be able to manage one more little kit."

Sedgestar was silent for a moment as he deliberated.

"Very well. She can stay," Sedgestar meowed, giving a decisive nod.

Redclaw's tail curled up in delight.

"On one condition…" Sedgestar added. "Frostkit cannot know that her father is from SkyClan."

"Okay," Redclaw said slowly, her excitement fading at Sedgestar's serious tone. "But, why?"

"You, Weaseltail, and the other queens will raise her as a member of our Clan," Sedgestar said. "I will not raise a kit that becomes a warrior whose loyalty might come into question. In the heat of battle, I will not have her hesitate because of the remains of some bond of kinship. As far as Frostkit will know, she has no family besides ShadowClan."

Sedgestar paused for emphasis, gazing at Redclaw hard.

"Do you understand?" Sedgestar asked.

Redclaw nodded.

"Good. As you said, her father does not want her anyway. It will do Frostkit no harm to grow up without knowing his existence," Sedgestar replied with a dismissive tail-flick. "To prevent Frostkit from finding out about her parentage, the less cats who know it the better. So, you are to tell no other cat that you know her father is a SkyClan warrior. Not the other queens. Even Weaseltail. The only other cats who know are Grovepelt and Emberflower."

Sedgestar nodded towards the cats at his side.

"And, Beepaw and Swoopstrike, the cats that were on the patrol that found May and Frostkit."

Sedgestar turned to Emberflower.

"Can we trust that Beepaw stays quiet?" Sedgestar asked, his gaze softening again as he looked at his mate. "Apprentices are notoriously chatty."

"Beepaw is nearing the end of his training," Emberflower replied. "He is a serious and loyal cat. He will do as you say."

Sedgestar nodded.

"Good," he meowed. "And, I will speak with Swoopstrike. He's hot-headed, but smart and fiercely loyal. As much as he doesn't like the fact that Frostkit's father is a SkyClan warrior, I'm sure he will see the wisdom behind my words and keep his mouth shut."

Sedgestar turned his attention back to Redclaw.

"I will tell the other Clans that ShadowClan has taken in an orphaned rogue she-kit and is raising her as our own. And, mention nothing of SkyClan," Sedgestar meowed. "You are dismissed."


	3. Leaf-bare's Long Claws

Frostkit sat quietly in the shade of the thorn bush that covered the nursery. The camp in front of her was covered in a glistening, white blanket of snow that glowed almost harshly in the morning light of dawn. Even though Frostkit was out of the snow and warm in the shelter of the nursery and her thick pelt, she still shivered. She remembered her trek through the forest, stumbling behind her mother, the aching of her cold paws, and the wind's horrid, icy bite. That thought brought back more memories, images of her brothers and the small, cold, cramped den where they spent the entirety of their short lives. But, those pictures were already fading from Frostkit's mind. She could barely recall Rain's grey pelt and Snow's bright white one. That memory of that walk, though, would be seared into her mind forever.

Frostkit looked over her shoulder and back into the nursery. She saw the sleeping forms of Autumnkit, Pinekit, and Poolkit curled up near the side of their mother, Redclaw, and Amberberry wrapped around the smaller forms of Mosskit and Murmurkit. Amberberry's and Redclaw's flanks brushed as they breathed, nestled together in the same large nest. Frostkit studied the shapes of the cats.

 _My new family..?_ She thought hesitantly.

They weren't much of a family to her, though. Redclaw was caring enough and didn't treat Frostkit any differently than the other kits, but her kits often didn't bother to engage with Frostkit at all. Pinekit was the ringleader, and Poolkit followed her lead. Autumnkit was the only tolerable one. He would talk to her without wrinkling his nose up or calling her a rogue at least.

There was Larkfoot and Amberberry too, who were kind to Frostkit like Redclaw was. But, Larkfoot was gone now that her kits became apprentices, and Amberberry had her paws full with her two daughters- for just two moon-old kits, it was impressive how much trouble they got into. Mosskit was always the one causing mischief, but Murmurkit followed her everywhere.

Frostkit sighed, turning away from the sleeping cats and looking back out into camp.

She wished her mother was here. She wanted the family she had known, even if it was only for a brief moment of her life. Frostkit shivered again, feeling terribly alone.

 _ShadowClan,_ Frostkit thought, looking at the clearing in front of her.

She had been here for almost two moons now, but still the Clan felt foreign to her. The warriors weren't cruel necessarily, but they did stare and whisper sometimes. Frostkit thought it might have to do with the strange coloring of her pelt. May looked like her, but no forest cat seemed to. Every time they saw Frostkit and her white fur and her grey face, they were reminded that she was a stranger.

The tom called Swoopstrike was the harshest on Frostkit. He would snap at her for being underfoot when she would bat around a piece of moss in front of the nursery. Sometimes he muttered about wasting food on rogues when she took a piece of fresh-kill from the pile. And, Frostkit could see him eyeing her sometimes from across the clearing, like he was just waiting for her to do something wrong.

Frostkit heaved in a deep breath. She didn't know why all these cats; Swoopstrike, Pinekit, Poolkit, and others seemed to hate her for just existing.

_It's not like I really want to be here anyways... But, I have no where to go. ShadowClan is the only place for me._

Frostkit glanced back at Redclaw's sleeping form again. It wasn't all terrible here, at least. Frostkit liked Redclaw and her firm, but caring demeanor. She was not May, but she was still a good cat. Weaseltail was growing on her too. He payed attention to her along with his three kits when he came to visit the nursery, and the other day he showed her the hunter's crouch. And, Autumnkit too, she supposed was okay… Maybe Mosskit and Murmurkit would grow on her too, although up until this point, Frostkit had been much too shy to try to play with them.

Frostkit's ears pricked as she heard a large patrol entering the camp. It was the cats that went to the Gathering last night, returning home with the rising sun. The cats were talking to each other in hushed, but tension-filled voices, and they gathered in the center of camp to converse. Curiosity prickling through her, Frostkit listened into their conversation.

"Can you believe ThunderClan?" a black tom meowed in an incredulous voice.

 _Darkpelt,_ Frostkit thought, remembering his name. She had seen him in the nursery sometimes, before his kits became ShadowClan's newest apprentices, Damppaw and Dewpaw.

"They are just asking to get their pelts ripped off," Swoopstrike growled in agreement to Darkpelt. "What frog-brains. Did you see Fennelstar's eyes _gleam_ when Morningstar admitted how weak ThunderClan is? And Rabbitstar looked so smug. SkyClan and WindClan are going to take all their territory for themselves before they can say ' _mouse.'"_

"SkyClan and WindClan should leave them alone," Clearstream meowed, her blue eyes wide with worry. "In cold, harsh times like these StarClan doesn't want us to fight. We should be focusing our energy on hunting."

"I've known Robinsong for seasons while she's been deputy," Grovepelt meowed. "She is a reasonable cat, and she will stop Fennelstar from doing anything too rash."

"Rabbitstar on the other paw…" Flymask growled, his grizzled, white muzzle crumpling up in disdain. "Is a uppity young tom that thinks he's StarClan's gift to WindClan. If Morningstar really believed he could get WindClan to stop stealing prey by _asking nicely_ he's got another thing coming."

"Did you see how frail Robinsong looked?" Elmclaw added, his deep voice rumbling. "She's clearly very sick. I'm surprised she even went to the Gathering, and I doubt she has much influence over Fennelstar in the condition she's in."

"Why didn't she stay back in camp?" Leafpaw pipped up in a curious voice.

Frostkit had been thinking the same thing.

"Leaders always take their deputies to Gatherings. I'm sure Fennelstar didn't want to appear weak by leaving her at home," her mentor, Snakeeyes answered, blinking her two-colored eyes down at her apprentice.

"No one wants to appear weak in the middle of leaf-bare," Emberflower agreed.

"Which, again, is why Morningstar is so frog-brained," Swoopstrike said.

"What happens if SkyClan and WindClan take all of ThunderClan's territory and prey, and they get really strong?" Beeclaw asked, a hint of trepidation in his voice.

Frostkit thought he looked small standing next to massive Darkpelt. Beeclaw, along with his brothers Hootflight and Thornheart, were ShadowClan's newest warriors.

"Yeah, what are we going to do, Sedgestar?" Dustleap, a ginger tom, meowed, turning to the leader, who had thus far just been standing in camp in a thoughtful silence.

"Let me call the rest of the Clan," Sedgestar meowed in an even voice, betraying none of his thoughts.

Sedgestar turned and bounded up the big, leaning boulder at the edge of the camp, dislodging puffs of powdery snow in the process.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather beneath Clanrock for a Clan meeting!" Sedgestar yowled, his voice ringing out loud and clear through the camp.

Frostkit turned to look behind her into the nursery, where the queens and kits were stirring. Redclaw raised her head from her nest, blinking her eyes sleepily.

"Was that Sedgestar?" Redclaw asked, turning towards Amberberry.

"I think so," Amberberry replied with a yawn. "Something must have happened at the Gathering."

"Do we get to go see?" Mosskit meowed excitedly, stumbling over Murmurkit in her eagerness to get to her paws.

Her sister let out a soft mew of protest.

"Ow careful!" Murmurkit said irritably, swiping a paw at Mosskit.

"You can watch from the nursery entrance if you're quiet," Amberberry scolded them, getting to her paws and brushing out of the thorny entrance of the den, past Frostkit, and settling in the snow a few tail-lengths outside.

Redclaw rose to her feet, and her green gaze flickered over her three sleepily-stirring kits before drifting up to meet Frostkit's.

"Frostkit, how long have you been out there? You're going to catch a chill," Redclaw said, furrowing her brow at her.

Frostkit turned and obediently padded into the nursery and over to Redclaw, her head bowed. Redclaw bent her head and gave Frostkit a brisk, affectionate lick across her forehead. Frostkit rumbled a quick purr in response.

"You four can also watch the meeting from the den entrance," Redclaw meowed as Pinekit, Poolkit, and Autumnkit stumbled to their paws. "But, I better not hear one sound out of you, or it's straight back into the den!"

Redclaw turned and left the den, Poolkit and Pinekit hot on her paws. Pinekit gave Frostkit a disdained sniff as she walked past her. Frostkit gave an annoyed tail twitch at the rude greeting.

"What's happening?" Autumnkit meowed to Frostkit in a quiet voice as he padded to her side.

Together, they walked towards the entrance of the den and sat down a bit behind Mosskit, Murmurkit, Poolkit and Pinekit.

"ThunderClan's leader Morningstar told everyone that they are really weak during the Gathering," Frostkit said quietly. "Some warriors think that means WindClan and SkyClan may attack ThunderClan."

"What's that got to do with us?" Poolkit chimed in, wrinkling his nose and twisting to look at Frostkit from over his shoulder.

 _"Shh!"_ Pinekit hissed. "The meeting's starting!"

Frostkit leaned forward to peer out through the nursery entrance. She could just barely see Sedgestar perched on top of the big, snowy boulder through the intertwined tendrils of thorns.

"I have news from the Gathering," Sedgestar said commandingly, his head and tail held high. "ThunderClan is starving in their own territory. They asked for the other Clans to give them permission to hunt in the other territories."

Meows of protest rose from the gathered cats. Pinekit wrinkled up her nose.

"Letting ThunderClan hunt on our territory!" she hissed in a hushed voice. "No way!"

Redclaw shot a pointed look with narrowed eyes at Pinekit from over her shoulder, and Pinekit snapped her jaws shut.

"Don't worry; I explained that no such thing would happen," Sedgestar continued, silencing the voices with a wave of his tail. "Still, I think we need to be wary of the ThunderClan border. If they get desperate enough, they may start trespassing. And, we need to stay on the look out for SkyClan and WindClan cats coming from their territory too. Both Rabbitstar and Fennelstar seemed eager to exploit ThunderClan's weakness."

"If ThunderClan is too weak to defend their territory, why don't we also make some of their land our hunting grounds? If WindClan and SkyClan take all of their land, then they could become a threat to us, unless we are strong enough to fight back," Fogfur piped up, bushing up his grey fur.

The fur down Sedgestar's spine bristled slightly.

"ShadowClan is strong enough to stand alone. We don't need more territory to face SkyClan or WindClan," Sedgestar meowed in a firm voice. "We have enough fresh-kill in our woods, and so far, no illness has broken out in camp, although this leaf-bare has been long and harsh."

Fogfur bowed his head, relenting, although Frostkit saw some cats glance side to side, looking at each other, and she felt like not everyone agreed with Sedgestar's decision. Sedgestar's eyes flickered over the crowd, not missing the dissent among his cats.

Sedgestar nodded down at Clearstream.

"Clearstream, if you feel the time is right," Sedgestar said, his voice taking on a tone of fond respect that he reserved only for Clearstream, his medicine cat, and Emberflower, his mate. "You can share the words StarClan gave to you."

Clearstream rose to her dainty paws, her long, fluffy grey fur billowing around her like a cloud.

"A half moon ago, when I traveled to Moonstone, I was given a vision," Clearstream meowed.

Frostkit's ears pricked with interest as she listened. Redclaw had told her about StarClan, and Moonstone and how it was the medicine cats' job to communicate with StarClan. She still felt the whole thing was sort of bizarre though. May had never told her anything about StarClan. And, her family wasn't from the Clans, so why should Frostkit care about StarClan? It's not like anyone she knew would be there, watching over her. Frostkit's heart twinged.

_May wouldn't be there. …Would she?_

"I was walking through a forest covered in snow. I seemed to be alone; I could not hear or scent any other cat," Clearstream spoke. "But then a white owl flew over my head and I heard these words: _ShadowClan does not need to fear the snow. Out of the cold, great strength rises and soars on frozen wings_. Then my pelt was warmed, and suddenly our clan-mates were clustered around me, and we were keeping each other warm with the heat of our fur."

Sedgestar nodded approvingly at her words.

"StarClan tells us that we are strong. We have no need to fear this leaf-bare or any Clan," he said in his deep voice.

Frostkit looked around at the other cats. She was surprised to see how relaxed everyone suddenly was. A few heartbeats ago, their fur was prickling and they looked on edge, shooting nervous glances around like they half expected SkyClan or WindClan warriors to burst through the thorn thicket that surrounded the camp at any moment. But, now cats were purring faintly, sharing reassuring nods with eyes that shone with certainty and pride.

"We will still remain vigilant on the ThunderClan border," Sedgestar added. "But, we will successfully face whatever threat may come. This meeting is dismissed."

Sedgestar bounded down from Clanrock, and the rest of the cats rose to their paws, breaking into groups to talk to each other, or heading out of camp on patrols. Frostkit watched them vanish into the shadows as they walked through the thorn tunnel and under the dark trees that loomed overhead, hunched and ladened with frost and snow, and she shivered, wondering if they really could face anything they came across there.


	4. Outsider

"I'm going to be the best apprentice ShadowClan has ever seen," Pinekit boasted, her black-furred tail twitching with excitement. "Look what I can do!"

Pinekit crouched down, slinking forward in a hunters crouch, then leaped suddenly onto Poolkit's back.

"Hey!" Poolkit protested, shaking her off.

Pinekit gave a growl, leaping on him again and the two siblings went tumbling across camp.

Frostkit watched them play from a distance, her long fluffy grey tail wrapped neatly around her paws. They were all six moons old now, which meant that they were ready to become apprentices. Frostkit sighed quietly to herself. She didn't feel as excited about the prospect of it as the other kits did, though. Pinekit, Poolkit, and Autumnkit were dying to see the outside of the camp, the forests of ShadowClan's territory, and even the lands beyond. They chatted incessantly like birds about how they heard the oaks of Fourtrees towered so high, they touched the clouds, and how they hoped to be able to be brought along with Sedgestar or Clearstream on the long, perilous journey to Mothermouth, which contained the Moonstone.

Frostkit, however, did not care to venture beyond the thorny walls of the camp. She didn't want to see the territory, or Fourtrees or Mothermouth. Slowly, she had come to see the camp place as her home—a safe place. She had already seen the forest beyond. She had seen how unforgiving and cruel it was.

Frostkit looked down at her paws. Their grey markings were stained brown with mud, and they sunk slightly into the muddy ground beneath them. New-leaf had reached the forest finally, bringing with it a thaw that touched every tail-length of the camp, making everything wet and damp, although the air was warm and sweet, and smelt of flowers.

"Quiz!" Poolkit meowed suddenly, springing off of Pinekit and to his paws. "Who is the new deputy of ThunderClan?"

Frostkit's ears pricked in interest; she knew the answer.

While ShadowClan made it through the leaf-bare without losing a single cat to hunger or sickness, the other Clans were not so fortunate. The word was that ThunderClan barely scraped by. Frostkit had heard from Weaseltail that they had finally rallied and fought back against WindClan and SkyClan, but not without some losses, both from battle and from weakness. Morningstar himself was rumored to have lost a life, and one of the cats who died was ThunderClan's deputy, Leafstorm.

"Um…" Pinekit meowed, blinking hard as she thought.

"It's Acornear," Autumnkit cut in, padding out of the nursery and over to them.

"Oh yeah! I remember now," Pinekit meowed, giving a snicker. " _Acornear_! Morningstar probably made him deputy because he felt so bad about giving him such a dumb name!"

Poolkit and Autumnkit purred loudly. Frostkit purred quietly along with them, watching their amusement from the distance.

"And, who's the new deputy of SkyClan?" Poolkit meowed, dancing from paw to paw.

Frostkit recalled the conversation she overheard a few moons ago between the warriors about SkyClan's deputy, Robinsong, and how weak she had seemed then. Robinsong had clung to life for a couple more moons, but last gathering, she was gone, and SkyClan had a new deputy.

Pinekit and Autumnkit were silent as they thought. As the moments stretched past, Pinekit rolled her eyes.

"This is so boring, Poolkit, let's go back to battle training," she meowed.

"You're only saying it's boring because you don't know," Poolkit said, whiskers twitching smugly. "We're going to have to know all the deputies and leaders of the other Clans when we're apprentices! So, come on, Robinsong died of green-cough, who's the new deputy?"

"It's Paledusk," Frostkit said quietly.

Her blue eyes widened. She hadn't meant to speak and draw attention to herself; the words had just slipped out.

Pinekit, Poolkit and Autumnkit turned to look at her, and Autumnkit nodded.

"That's right, I remember now, Dad told Mom that," Autumnkit said.

"No one asked you, Dirtface," Pinekit huffed to Frostkit, her tail twitching irritably.

Frostkit growled softly at the cruel nickname. As she grew, the grey fur on her face had too, making a mask that covered her muzzle, eyes and ears. She had caught sight of it on occasion when she saw her reflection in the puddles around camp. Sometimes it made her freeze in shock, for a moment, she thought that she had seen her mother.

Frostkit turned and padded away from them, her head down as she padded back to the nursery.

"Why are you always so mean to her?" Frostkit heard Autumnkit hiss to Pinekit in a hushed voice.

"What?" Pinekit replied, her voice indignant. " _We_ were playing. She wasn't a part of the game!"

"You're just mad that she knew the answer, and you didn't," Autumnkit huffed.

Their squabbling voices faded as Frostkit padded further away. She was headed to her spot just outside the nursery, half-hidden under the thick thorn thicket. She had almost reached it when a pair of silver-striped legs appeared in front of her, seemingly materializing out of thin air. Frostkit jerked her head up in surprise, and the grey dappled-tabby cat attached to the legs sprung out of her way.

"Watch where you're going, rogue!" Swoopstrike hissed, his silver tail lashing.

"... Sorry!" Frostkit managed to squeak, but the warrior had already stalked off with a huff, leaving Frostkit to wonder if he had even heard her.

Frostkit quickly took her last few trembling steps that took her into the shelter of the nursery. Safely tucked under the thorn bush, she the bent her head to give her white chest a few comforting licks, trying to flatten her bristling fur.

"Don't let them bother you," a nearby voice said.

Frostkit jumped in surprise at the words, and she turned to see Snakeeyes emerge from the nursery's entrance and pad over to her. The white she-cat's paw-steps were slow; her belly was swollen with kits. She had moved to the nursery just a little while ago because she was so close to her kitting time. Frostkit studied Snakeeyes hesitantly as she approached.

The she-cat had never been cruel to her, but she never showed much interest in her either. As far as Frostkit could tell, Snakeeyes mostly kept to herself, which made Frostkit confused as to why she was bothering to talk to her now.

"When I was your age, the other cats would make fun of me too," Snakeeyes continued, sitting down next to Frostkit. "For the way my eyes look."

Snakeeyes blinked at Frostkit, emphasizing the startling difference between her brilliant blue eye and her deep green one.

"I'm different, like you are," she said.

Frostkit felt the stirrings of warmth in her chest at the comradery of her words.

" _Never_ forget that you're different," Snakeeyes emphasized, and Frostkit's brow furrowed as she swallowed, feeling her heart drop at the sudden change in conversation.

Frostkit looked down at her grey paws.

"… Because _they_ will never let you forget that you're different," Snakeeyes said, nodding towards the cats out in the camp and towards Pinekit, Poolkit, and Autumnkit.

Frostkit's brow furrowed with confusion, and her gaze was slowly drawn back up to Snakeeyes'.

"They will always see you as an outsider. They will be reminded that you are one just from the way you look," Snakeeyes meowed. "You will have to fight twice as hard, hunt twice as much, run twice as far as them to prove yourself."

Frostkit blinked hard, feeling the ground slightly sway under her at that thought.

_That's too much._

"But, you can do it," Snakeeyes said, her voice firm. "Make your difference your strength. Shroud yourself in it. Use it to drive you. If you do that, then they can never use it to hurt you again."

The warrior looked kindly down at the kit.

"I asked Sedgestar to give me my warrior name 'Snakeeyes.' So, everyone will be reminded of how I look just by saying my name," she said. "When I was young, I thought the way I looked was a defect. But, I'm not ashamed of it anymore. So, no one can hurt me with it."

Snakeeyes looked away from Frostkit to stare out into camp, her mismatched gaze falling on Rowanheart.

"My eyes are no longer a curse for me. Rowanheart thinks my eyes are beautiful," Snakeeyes said softly, her eyes filling with love as she curled her tail around her belly.

She glanced back over at Frostkit.

"And, your pelt is beautiful too," she said.

"Thank…Thank you," Frostkit managed to stutter, blinking hard as she gazed up at Snakeeyes. "That's very wise…"

Snakeeyes let out a soft purr, then she cleared her throat.

"So, just don't let them get you down, kit," she said, a bit more gruffly, bending her head to nose Frostkit off.

Frostkit padded away from her, heading back into camp.

As she padded away, Frostkit felt herself wishing that Snakeeyes could be her mentor, but she knew that she would be in the nursery with her kits during all of Frostkit's training. Frostkit sighed heavily to herself, her paws slowing as she approached the center of camp. It was mid-morning and ShadowClan was buzzing with activity. The fresh-kill pile was high, packed with frogs and lizards lured out by the warm weather. Frostkit wrinkled her nose slightly when she gazed at them. Although she didn't mind the taste once she got through the scaly skin, she preferred her prey to be furred. Frostkit's gaze flickered up from the fresh-kill pile to scan over the warriors that were in camp. Her eyes flickered over the pelts that were now so familiar to her, after spending all these moons in camp.

"Are you wondering who's going to be your mentor?"

Frostkit jumped, startled at the voice from behind her.

She turned to see Autumnkit padding over, and she let out a sigh.

"You scared me, Autumnkit," she said.

His whiskers twitched in amusement.

"Then try being less jumpy next time," he teased, taking a seat next to Frostkit, seemingly not worried about the muddy ground that splashed all up his dark ginger haunches when he did so.

Autumnkit nodded towards the warriors out in camp.

"I hope I get Darkpelt," Autumnkit said wistfully. "Did you know he once chased off a trespassing WindClan patrol single-pawed? Or, it would be so cool if Thornheart was my mentor; he's like crazy strong and a great fighter. Oh! Or, what about Sedgestar! Do you think he'll want to take on an apprentice?"

"You really want to be the leader's apprentice?" Frostkit asked quietly, her ears pricking in surprise.

Autumnkit looked over at her with wide eyes.

"Well, of course!" he gasped. "Sedgestar is the bravest, strongest cat in all of the Forest! Why wouldn't I want him to be my mentor?"

Frostkit shrugged.

"It just seems like a lot of pressure to me," she said. "Having to always impress the leader. I wouldn't want Sedgestar to be my mentor."

Autumnkit snorted.

"You're weird Frostkit," Autumnkit said, but there was no venom in his voice, like there would've been in Pinekit's if she had said that. "Then who do you want to be your mentor?"

Frostkit was silent for a moment as she thought, gazing out at the warriors in camp.

"Rowanheart," Frostkit said finally, recalling her conversation with Snakeeyes.

_If Rowanheart can accept Snakeeyes, then he might be able to accept me too._

"Why Rowanheart?" Autumnkit asked, his brow furrowed.

Frostkit hesitated, not sure if she wanted to confess the reason why and explain her whole personal conversation with Snakeeyes to Autumnkit.

"…Ugh it's not because you think he's handsome, is it?" Autumnkit asked, sticking his tongue out in disgust. "I've heard she-cats mooning over him. Leafbreeze especially seems to think he's StarClan's gift to ShadowClan!"

Frostkit's fur fluffed out defensively.

"What? No! That's not why!" Frostkit exclaimed. "Don't be ridiculous. And, who cares if other cats think he's handsome; he's Snakeeyes' mate. They're having kits together!"

Autumnkit didn't look entirely convinced by Frostkit's defense, but before he could say anything else, Frostkit spotted Sedgestar emerge from his den in the tangled roots of the old Oak Tree, and bound up the boulder that leaned out over the camp clearing. Sedgestar took a moment to shake the mud from his paws from his perch before raising his chin.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather beneath Clanrock for a clan meeting!"

"This must be it!" Autumnkit purred excitedly to Frostkit, his eyes sparkling.

Frostkit didn't echo his excitement. Instead, she felt her stomach flip in unease, but she followed Autumnkit as he bounded into the center of the camp. Warriors padded over from around camp, some appearing out of the den, evidently they had been sleeping in this morning. Autumnkit took a seat very close to Clanrock, and Frostkit settled down next to him. The warriors brushed past Frostkit and Autumnkit, coming to gather at the sound of their leader's cry. Frostkit eyed them from the corner of her gaze.

_Which one of them will be my mentor?_

Frostkit's gaze caught Rowanheart's. He was seated next to his mother, Emberflower, and their two nearly identical ginger pelts intermingled. Rowanheart gave Frostkit a friendly nod, and she felt her paws twitch with not quite excitement, but it wasn't anxiety either as she quickly glanced away from him.

_Maybe Rowanheart will be my mentor after all._

"It's happening!" Poolkit gasped, barreling over to take a seat at Autumnkit's other side.

His amber eyes gleamed wildly in his black and white furred face, and he seemed hardly able to sit still.

"I wonder if Sedgestar will make Frostkit an apprentice with us, or will he decide to not bother training a rogue?" Pinekit meowed haughtily, padding over and taking a seat next to Poolkit.

Frostkit felt a sting at her words, but it was only slight—she had expected some sort of comment from Pinekit.

"Watch your tongue young she-cat!" Redclaw snapped from behind, making all four of the kits start in fear. "Or, I will tell Sedgestar _you_ are unfit to be an apprentice yet."

Frostkit turned to watch the queen approach them. Pinekit ducked her head down at Redclaw's reproach.

 _"Moooom,"_ Pinekit whined. "You can't do that! I'm six moons old, that means I get to be an apprentice!"

"Frostkit is a ShadowClan cat," Redclaw said, glowering down at her daughter. "And, I raised her as much as I raised you, so I won't have you turning against each other!"

"But, Damppaw says…" Pinekit weakly protested.

"Oh, Damppaw!" Redclaw meowed. "Is he the one filling your head with this nonsense?! He must be getting it from his mentor Marshnose, but if I have a word with Larkfoot, I'm sure she would be happy to straighten Damppaw out! Do you really think that after Larkfoot helped rear Frostkit, she'd be happy to hear her son spreading such snake-dung?"

 _"Mom!"_ Pinekit huffed.

But, before she could say anything else, Sedgestar began to speak and quiet fell across the whole camp.

"New-leaf is here!" Sedgestar yowled, his voice ringing triumphantly through the camp. "As Clearstream's vision showed us, ShadowClan not only survived the long, cold leaf-bare, but we've grown stronger because of it!"

Frostkit's ears pricked as the cats around her began to yowl with excitement, their eyes bright, claws flexing eagerly into the muddy ground. Sedgestar paused, the look on his face pleased as he allowed his clan-mates to shout their victory into the sky. After a few heartbeats of indulgence, Sedgestar raised his tail, and quiet settled over the camp again.

"ShadowClan is the strongest clan in the forest!" Sedgestar declared. "No other can compete with us in our strength or size. And, we continue to grow. Today, I am proud to announce the making of four new apprentices!"

There was more cheering at this, but Frostkit's pelt prickled as she realized she was getting some sideways looks. As expected, not everyone was thrilled with her becoming an apprentice. Frostkit took note of the cats that looked the most displeased with the notion.

_Marshnose, Damppaw, Swoopstrike, Flymask…_

Frostkit decided that she would do her best to avoid the four of them during her apprenticeship.

"Poolkit, Pinekit, Autumnkit, and Frostkit, would you please step forward?" Sedgestar meowed.

"Be good," Redclaw hissed from behind them, and although she shot Pinekit a stern look, the red and black she-cat looked proud as her kits stood and strode over to stand in the shadow of Clanrock.

Sedgestar cleared his throat.

"You four have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior names, you will be known as Poolpaw, Pinepaw, Autumnpaw, and Frostpaw," Sedgestar said.

Frostpaw took a deep breath.

_Here we go…_

"Poolpaw, your mentor will be Fogfur. I hope Fogfur will pass down all he knows on to you."

Frostpaw's brow furrowed as she tried to recall what she knew about this warrior. Besides that he seemed stern and serious, Frostpaw couldn't think much more about what he was like. She turned her head to watch Fogfur pad over to them. His long grey fur stirred in the breeze like a rippling cloud, and his green eyes looked steady and pleased as he stood in front of his new apprentice.

"Fogfur, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You have received excellent training from Treefur, and you have shown yourself to be driven and fiercely brave. You will be the mentor of Poolpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to him."

Frostpaw watched Fogfur dip his head so he and Poolpaw could touch noses, then they stepped aside.

"Pinepaw," Sedgestar said, continuing the ceremony without delay. "Your mentor will be Grovepelt. I hope Grovepelt will pass down all he knows on to you."

Frostpaw's eyes widened in surprise as Sedgestar named his deputy to mentor Pinepaw. Grovepelt rose to his paws from the base of Clanrock and padded over to Pinepaw.

"Grovepelt, you are ready to take on a new apprentice. You trained me excellently as my mentor, and you have served your clan faithfully for many moons now as deputy. You will be the mentor of Pinepaw, and I know you will pass on all you know to her," Sedgestar said.

Grovepelt touched his greying muzzle to Pinepaw's and the two stepped aside.

"I didn't know Grovepelt was Sedgestar's mentor!" Autumnpaw whispered to Frostpaw, shooting his sister and her new mentor a jealous look.

"Autumnpaw," Sedgestar said, pulling Autumnpaw's and Frostpaw's attention back to him. "Your mentor will be Beeclaw. I hope Beeclaw will pass down all he knows on to you."

Autumnpaw's face gave nothing away as the young black-furred warrior padded over to him.

 _Although I know he was wishing for Darkpelt or Thornheart instead…_ Frostpaw thought

"Beeclaw, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You have received excellent training from Emberflower, and you have shown yourself to be loyal and clever. You will be the mentor of Autumnpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to him."

Beeclaw and Autumnpaw touched noses, and the two of them stepped aside. Frostpaw was relieved to see that Autumnpaw looked pleased with his mentor, even though she knew Beeclaw was not his first choice.

"Frostpaw."

Frostpaw felt a chill run up her spine as Sedgestar called her new name. She slowly raised her eyes from Autumnpaw and up to ShadowClan's leader. Sedgestar looked down at her from the top of Clanrock, his face unreadable. Frostpaw searched his amber eyes for a hint of his thoughts.

_Does he agree with some of the others and not want me apprenticed? But, he let me and May into ShadowClan… that means he must want me here, right?_

"Your mentor will be Swoopstrike. I hope Swoopstrike will pass down all he knows on to you," Sedgestar said.

Frostpaw felt like her paws were frozen to the ground as the name he said echoed in her ears.

_No… I couldn't have heard him right._

But, there the dappled silver tabby was, striding over to Frostpaw. Swoopstrike's narrowed green eyes met Frostpaw's, and he didn't look pleased as he towered in front of her, waiting for Sedgestar to complete the ceremony.

"Swoopstrike, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You have received excellent training from Weaseltail, and you have shown yourself to be a skilled fighter and loyal warrior. You will be the mentor of Frostpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to her," Sedgestar said.

Swoopstrike shoved his face towards Frostpaw's. She had to resist the urge to flinch back as he brusquely touched his muzzle to hers, before quickly recoiling so they had to touch for only the shortest amount of time as possible.

"Poolpaw! Pinepaw! Autumnpaw! Frostpaw!"

The clan was chanting their names, but Frostpaw hardly heard them. She was too busy staring at Sedgestar's brown striped back as he bounded down from Clanrock.

_How could he do this?_

Frostpaw blinked hard. He had to have known that Swoopstrike hated her. Yet, Sedgestar made him her mentor! How was she supposed to survive her training with Swoopstrike hissing at her every other moment?

Frostpaw struggled to take a deep breath, searching for a scrap of calm inside of her. She tried to recall Snakeeyes' words from earlier.

_"Make your difference your strength. Shroud yourself in it. Use it to drive you. If you do that, then they can never use it to hurt you again."_

Frostpaw shook her head to herself; Snakeeyes' words rung hollowly in her head.

_But, how will I be able to prove myself with Swoopstrike as my mentor?_

"Hey, are you okay?" Autumnpaw asked, snapping Frostpaw out of her thoughts.

He had padded over to her as the four of them lingered in the camp. They just had a few moments before they would be swept off to their first apprentice duties. Frostpaw just sighed, giving a shrug. Autumnpaw peered at her with concern, but before he could say anymore, Mosskit and Murmurkit came running up to the group.

"I wish I was an apprentice now!" Mosskit exclaimed with a jealous sigh.

"One more moon isn't that much longer to wait," Poolpaw pointed out.

Mosskit's tail twitched mischievously.

"Do you think they'd make me an apprentice early if I left camp and caught some prey?" she asked, her gaze sparkling.

Murmurkit stared at her sister with wide eyes, stricken. However, before the soft-spoken Murmurkit could manage a response, another voice rang out.

 _"Mosskit!_ You will do no such thing!" Amberberry scolded, striding up to her daughters.

"Awww," Mosskit whined, turning to Amberberry and gazing at her with wide eyes. "You heard me?"

Amberberry's expression softened. Frostpaw knew that the sweet-natured queen could never stay angry long.

"Of course I heard you, dear," Amberberry said. "You always speak too loudly."

Murmurkit whispered something to Mosskit that was so quiet, Frostpaw could barely made out the words.

 _"Told you so,"_ Murmurkit hissed.

Mosskit shot her sister a sour look.

Amberberry turned to the new apprentices.

"Congratulations!" she purred, giving them all affectionate blinks.

She was quickly joined by Larkfoot, who also came to congratulate the kits she helped bring up in the nursery, as well as Redclaw and Weaseltail, of course. Larkfoot gave each of the new apprentices motherly licks on their heads, and Redclaw gazed at the four of them with pride. However, even in the face of the queens' affection, Frostpaw's stomach churned. She couldn't shake the uneasy feeling that had appeared once Sedgestar had named her mentor.

"Congratulations all of you," Weaseltail's rumbled as Larkfoot helped Amberberry herd her kits away.

Noticing the bleak look on Frostpaw's face, he turned to her.

"Swoopstrike can be intense. He was even as my apprentice, but he's a good warrior, and he will be a good mentor," Weaseltail meowed.

"I don't understand why I got stuck with Grovepelt!" Pinepaw complained, but not loud enough to be overheard by anyone outside Frostpaw and her family. "He's practically as old as dirt!"

Weaseltail's brow furrowed.

"Don't be rude to your deputy!" Weaseltail snapped at his daughter.

"What concerns me is why Sedgestar gave Frostpaw Swoopstrike to be her mentor," Redclaw interjected, her green eyes narrowed. "He's been nothing but cruel to her."

"I'm sure Sedgestar has his reasons," Weaseltail meowed, carefully watching his hot-tempered mate out of the corner of his eye.

Redclaw's tail was twitching, and she had her jaw set in a mutinous way that Weaseltail was all too familiar with.

"Why don't we go out for a tour of the territory?" Beeclaw asked, padding over to Autumnpaw, utterly unaware of the tension in the air surrounding the group.

"…Okay," Autumnpaw meowed after a moment of hesitation.

"Can we go too?!" Poolpaw said excitedly, shooting a glance at Fogfur as he padded over.

Fogfur shrugged.

"Sure why not?" he meowed.

"We will also join you," Grovepelt meowed, going to stand next to Pinepaw.

The three mentors turned almost unconsciously it seemed to Frostpaw.

She shifted from foot to foot under their gaze, well aware that Swoopstrike seemed to have vanished, and she did not know what she would be doing. Frostpaw almost sighed in relief as he appeared, emerging from the tunnel at the base of the Oak Tree, which led down to Sedgestar's den.

"What's going on?" Swoopstrike said in a gruff voice as he noticed the mentors circled around Frostpaw.

"We were just about to take our apprentices on a tour of the territory," Grovepelt meowed. "Would you like to join us?"

Swoopstrike scowled slightly.

"I was thinking collecting moss would be a good first duty for an apprentice," he said.

Beeclaw wrinkled his nose and shot Frostpaw a sympathetic glance. Fogfur shrugged and turned towards the camp entrance, but the deputy was not so easily cowed.

"Come on, Swoopstrike," Grovepelt said. "Come with us. These kits haven't even set foot outside camp yet. It's good for apprentices to get a tour on their first day, or else you'll find that they'll end up terribly lost the first couple times they go hunting."

Swoopstrike grumbled something under his breath that Frostpaw couldn't catch.

"Fine," he sighed after a moment.

Grovepelt's whiskers twitched contentedly.

"Good," he meowed. "Let's get going then."

Grovepelt led the way to the thorn tunnel at the edge of the camp. Pinepaw followed him with Poolpaw at her side. Fogfur was behind them, and at his tail was Beeclaw and Autumnpaw, the two of them already engaged in conversation. Swoopstrike padded off to follow them, but Frostpaw hung back, her paws dragging on the ground.

Her heart filled with trepidation as she slowly drew closer to the looming thorn barrier, and the dark tunnel that pierced through it.

"Hurry up," Swoopstrike snapped impatiently at Frostpaw from the tunnel, noticing her tail-lengths behind him.

Frostpaw jumped at his words, her nervous blue gaze widening. After a heartbeat of hesitation, she rushed forward. At the entrance of the tunnel, she paused, the pounding of her blood so loud in her ears that it drowned out all other noise. She gazed into the darkness of the tunnel, feeling the blackness open a hole that yawned back at her in her chest. Shuddering, Frostpaw threw herself into the shadows.

* * *

"Sedgestar?" Redclaw called from the entrance to his den.

"Come in, Redclaw," Sedgestar said, his deep voice echoing up from the tunnel in the roots.

Redclaw padded inside the tunnel, her tail twitching. She entered into the dim earthen cave. Sedgestar sat up in his nest. Emberflower remained curled up by his side, but she blinked her green gaze up at Redclaw.

"What can I do for you, Redclaw?" Sedgestar asked.

Redclaw exhaled slowly.

"It's about Frostpaw and Swoopstrike," she said.

Sedgestar sighed.

"I thought you'd have something to say about that..." he said.

"I just don't understand," Redclaw cut in. "Swoopstrike hates her with every hair on his pelt! Any cat with two eyes can see it! Why would you assign him as her mentor?"

"Swoopstrike knows the truth of her parentage," Sedgestar said. "I need her to be watched by a warrior that is aware that she is half-SkyClan in case her father ever tries to reach out to her."

"But, then there are other plenty of cats that you could've chosen to train her!" Redclaw protested. "Emberflower, Grovepelt, Beeclaw, or me! Any of us would've been better than Swoopstrike."

"I had already decided Grovepelt and Beeclaw would mentor Pinepaw and Autumnpaw. And, I couldn't have given her to you," Sedgestar said, glancing at her sympathetically. "You raised her, and you know that queens don't normally train the kits they brought up."

"Oh, so now you're treating her like a regular ShadowClan kit," Redclaw huffed. "What other apprentices need to be 'watched' by their mentors?"

The sympathy in Sedgestar's gaze evaporated as he narrowed his amber eyes at her. Redclaw glanced away from her leader, her fur prickling under the strength of his powerful gaze.

"I don't mean to be disrespectful, Sedgestar," Redclaw said. "It's just that she is such a quiet, sensitive kit. And, Swoopstrike—"

"That's exactly why I chose him and not any of the other cats you named," Sedgestar said, interrupting her.

"What?" Redclaw said, blinking in confusion.

"I know Swoopstrike is distrustful of her and that he can be difficult at the best of times. But, Frostpaw needs to be strong and tough and brave if she is to survive in this Clan," Sedgestar said.

"Regardless of who trains her, there will always be cats who hate her for being an outsider. If she cannot preserve and train successfully despite that fact, then she is not fit to be a ShadowClan warrior. It follows the same logic as the other pairings I made with your kits. I gave Pinepaw to Grovepelt to learn maturity and compassion from him. Autumnpaw to mild Beeclaw so he can learn that it's good, at times, to calm his fiery temper and playful attitude. And, Poolpaw to stern Fogfur so he can learn that sometimes it's good to be serious. These are things they all should learn before becoming warriors. Their mentors will ultimately strengthen them, not stifle them."

Redclaw frowned. She glanced over at Emberflower for support, but her ginger-furred sister just gave a small head shake, indicating that Sedgestar would not be swayed. Redclaw, though, was much too headstrong to back down without a fight. She curled her lip up at Sedgestar.

"No. You are making things needlessly difficult for Frostpaw specifically," Redclaw protested angrily. "She's been in ShadowClan practically her whole life. Will you ever stop blaming her for being born outside of ShadowClan; something that was completely out of her control?"

"I'm not blaming her for not being born in ShadowClan," Sedgestar snapped, rising to his paws, and causing Redclaw to take a step backwards. "The reason we have apprentices is to train young cats to be warriors. Warriors are the life-blood of the Clan. They must be loyal to ShadowClan above all other things. So, besides just learning hunting and fighting, apprentices must learn these traits, and, yes, learn _to be loyal_. Sure, for cats that are ShadowClan born, it's easier since they already have their family here—roots that spread back generation after generation in ShadowClan. But, that doesn't mean that it's impossible for a cat like Frostpaw to prove her loyalty, it will just be more difficult."

Redclaw's tail twitched, but she was silent.

"Once Frostpaw completes her training with Swoopstrike and learns loyalty and the warrior code, just like all of the other apprentices, she shall have my full trust as any ShadowClan warrior does," Sedgestar said.

He flicked his tail at Redclaw.

"You are dismissed," he said coolly.


	5. Fight Twice as Hard

Frostpaw's heart hammered in her throat as she sprinted along after the rest of her patrol. Her legs burned as she moved them faster than she ever had before, struggling to keep up with the other cats. Swoopstrike was in the lead, and despite his earlier complaints about the patrol, he now seemed enthusiastic for them to travel through the territory at a break-neck speed. A forest of seemingly endless dark pine trees flashed around Frostpaw, but she didn't have the time to take in their thin, towering silhouettes— she was too focused on keeping her paws moving one after the other at the frantic pace.

Grovepelt was the one to finally slow, slacking his pace and clearing his throat to signal for the others to as well. Frostpaw almost stumbled in relief as she eagerly slowed her paws. Autumnpaw, Pinepaw, and Poolpaw seemed to echo her relief as they too fell back with her with quiet sighs. Swoopstrike, however, only dropped his pace reluctantly, shooting Grovepelt a look from narrowed eyes.

Grovepelt caught his gaze and narrowed his eyes in return at the younger warrior.

"We are giving a tour of the territory remember Swoopstrike? Not just running through it," Grovepelt meowed cooly.

Swoopstrike dipped his head stiffly to the deputy without saying anything, but Frostpaw noticed his jaw clenching.

After Frostpaw managed to catch her breath, she lifted her head to finally have a chance to gaze around at her surroundings. Towering pines framed the world around her. Frostpaw tilted her head back as she traced their trunks towards the sky, watching their branches and thin dark green leaves bristle up at the clouds. The ground beneath them was coated with the pines' discarded needles, which softened the sound of the cat's footfalls, making it seem like their patrol was gliding soundlessly through the forest.

Frostpaw's eyes were wide with surprise as she looked around. She couldn't believe how the forest had transformed during the few moons that she'd been at the ShadowClan camp. The forest she remembered was a world of white. Everything had been coated in snow, and the pines had been frozen in ice, like jagged milky white claws. Even the sky had been grey with snow clouds. Now the world was colored in shades of green and brown and black, and the shimmer of a bright blue sky peeked down in the gaps between the pine's branches.

"Come along," Grovepelt said to the four gaping apprentices, padding along.

Frostpaw jerked and did a little dash to catch up to the deputy. Even though there was little undergrowth to hide behind, Grovepelt's brown pelt still quickly vanished into the deep shadows cast by the pines.

Frostpaw's den-mates quickly caught up too, and Autumnpaw moved to pad along side her.

"Isn't this great!" he said to Frostpaw with a pleased purr.

Frostpaw nodded. She had to admit, she was enjoying the forest way more that she thought she would. The smell of the fresh air in her nose, the soft pine needles under her paws instead of the muddy ground of the camp, the warm sunshine on her back…

 _"What is that?"_ Pinepaw gasped, snapping Frostpaw out of her thoughts.

The patrol had suddenly reached what seemed to be a gap in the forest. The pine tree line stopped abruptly, and in front of them was a small stretch of grass for several fox lengths, then a strange strip of what seemed to Frostpaw to be a long black stone which stretched as far as the eye could see left and right, then another stretch of grass, and then suddenly trees sprung up again like there had been no interruption.

Poolpaw started to creep forward across the grass, his eyes locked on the curious black stone.

"Stay under the trees," Fogfur snapped at him.

Poolpaw jumped in surprise at his mentor's harsh tone and scrambled back to the trees and the rest of the patrol.

"This is the thunderpath," Grovepelt explained. "Monsters travel on it, so you always have to be careful not to get too close."

"It doesn't look that dangerous," Pinepaw sniffed.

But, she had to almost immediately eat her words as suddenly a roaring sound filled the air. The ground rumbled under Frostpaw's feet as something huge went hurdling down the thunderpath and past the patrol. There was a wave of foul smelling air, a flash of metallic color, and then it was gone, only a fading echo of a rumble remained to show that anything had past at all.

Frostpaw's fur had brushed out and she looked over at the other apprentices. She was relieved to see that she was not the only one frightened of the monster; they all looked as unsettled as she did, with bristling fur and wide eyes. Frostpaw glanced over at the warriors. They were unruffled, but all of them except for Swoopstrike looked at the apprentices sympathetically.

"You get more used to them," Beeclaw meowed.

"What can you all scent?" Grovepelt asked, continuing on with a lesson like nothing had happened.

"You mean besides the monster?" Autumnpaw said drily.

But, then all four of the apprentices fell silent as they scented the air. Frostpaw's brow furrowed as she tried to extract useful scents from the metallic tang that the monster had left hanging in the air.

"Wait… it smells strongly like ShadowClan!" Pinepaw meowed.

Frostpaw blinked in surprise, realizing that Pinepaw was right. Frostpaw was so used to the deep, rich ShadowClan scent from being surrounded by ShadowClan cats all the time, she had almost completely missed the fact that the scent again wreathed around her here, almost as strongly as if they were in camp.

Grovepelt nodded.

"Good. We are standing by our scent-markers. They mark the border of our territory," he said.

Poolpaw inhaled deeply, and Frostpaw saw Pinepaw stifle a snicker at Poolpaw's gaping face.

"There is some faint other cat scent too!" Poolpaw declared.

Frostpaw sniffed carefully. The breeze had shifted and now scents were drifting over to them from the other side of the thunderpath. The wind carried the scent of the other cats, but the smell of them was unfamiliar to Frostpaw. Their scent was mustier than ShadowClan's sharp strong scent, with an edge of nuttiness, not unlike that of a squirrel.

"Yes. That's ThunderClan scent," Fogfur rumbled.

"They smell weird," Autumnpaw said, wrinkling up his nose.

"Their territory begins on the other side of the thunderpath," Grovepelt said, nodding at the trees beyond.

Frostpaw studied the trees, realizing that they looked a bit different from the forest on the ShadowClan side. The ThunderClan forest still had a couple of pine trees mixed in here or there, but Frostpaw noticed that the deeper into their territory that she gazed, further away from the thunderpath, the less pine trees there were, and instead there were more leafy ones.

"When I was a kit," Grovepelt meowed. "There was no thunderpath here, and ThunderClan's territory came right up to ours. But, then the two-legs came and created this thunderpath during my apprenticeship, splitting the two Clans' territories."

Frostpaw's eyes went wide. It was hard to imagine that the large, strange black stone of the thunderpath had not always been there. And, that it was actually so recent, it hadn't even existed at some point during the deputy's lifetime.

"I think the two-legs did us a favor," Swoopstrike growled. "At least the thunderpath keeps those mice-munchers over on their side, where they belong."

"The construction of it scared away prey for a season though," Grovepelt mused. "It was new-leaf, when the forest should have been bustling with prey emerging after the thaw, but all the creatures were scared off by the two-legs' racket. That was a hard season for ShadowClan, particularly coming right after a long leaf-bare, not unlike the one we just saw…"

Then Grovepelt shook himself, like he was trying to dislodge the clinging cobwebs of old memories.

"Nevermind that," he meowed. "That was a long time ago now. Beeclaw, re-mark the scent-markings here, and let's keep going."

Grovepelt turned to look down at the apprentices and his wise eyes' sparkled a bit mischievously.

"I have a ShadowClan secret to show you four," he meowed. "But, you have to swear to not tell another cat from any of the other four Clans! I know apprentices like to brag at Gatherings, but this is one secret you _must not_ tell."

"I promise!" Pinepaw meowed, her amber eyes alight with eager delight to hear whatever the secret was.

 _"Me too!"_ Autumnpaw and Poolpaw chorused almost simultaneously.

Grovepelt's gaze flickered to Frostpaw's, waiting for her response.

"I—I promise," Frostpaw stammered quickly, feeling her fur flush with embarrassment.

 _Oh snake-dung, why did I hesitate? Will the deputy not believe me now?_ Frostpaw worried.

Luckily, Grovepelt either didn't notice or didn't seem bothered by Frostpaw's stuttering. He flicked his tail at the apprentices.

"Follow me," he meowed.

"Er—" Swoopstrike suddenly cut in, padding up to the deputy. "Are you sure showing them it now is such a good idea? Maybe we should wait a little while longer?"

"It's tradition that ShadowClan apprentices are told when they first start training," Grovepelt replied in a calm voice.

Swoopstrike's gaze flickered to Frostpaw for only a fraction of a heartbeat before he looked back at Grovepelt.

"I just think it might be a good idea to wait," Swoopstrike said, his voice becoming firmer. "Just so we know they can be trusted."

Frostpaw felt a hole of blackness opening up inside of her.

_He's worried about me. Swoopstrike doesn't trust me._

She heard Pinepaw give a disdainful sniff, and Frostpaw ducked her head, feeling her stomach swirl with dozens of emotions—embarrassment, shame and a bit of anger that Swoopstrike thought she would betray the only home she had.

"Thank you for your opinion, Swoopstrike," Grovepelt said with the faintest hint of sarcasm in his voice. "But, we've trusted more talkative apprentices than these four in the past. I see no reason not to tell them."

Swoopstrike stiffly bowed his head, but Frostpaw could see he wasn't happy about Grovepelt's decision.

Grovepelt turned, and continued forward, walking parallel to the thunderpath under the tree line. The rest of the patrol followed him one by one in a line.

"Here," Grovepelt meowed, ducking behind some bushes.

The apprentices followed him around the bush, but then Frostpaw almost ran smack into Poolpaw's hindquarters when he came to a sudden stop in front of her.

"Where did he go?" Poolpaw gasped.

Frostpaw wrenched her neck to peer around Poolpaw's flank, and she blinked in surprise to see that he was right. The deputy was nowhere to be seen. He appeared to have just vanished out of thin air.

"Over here!" Frostpaw heard Grovepelt meow.

Following the sound of his voice, the apprentices stuck their heads into a patch of nearby ferns.

"Woah!" Autumnpaw said.

Grovepelt's green eyes blinked up at them from a small tunnel, the entrance hidden by the dense thicket of ferns.

"This tunnel leads under the thunderpath," Grovepelt explained from below them. "And, it splits to head into both ThunderClan and WindClan territory. We usually go through it on the way to Gatherings too, so we don't have to cross over the thunderpath to get to Fourtrees."

Pinepaw flexed her claws in and out eagerly.

"That's so cool! We can get on to other Clans' territory without them even knowing!" she said, her voice vibrating with excitement.

"Do ThunderClan and WindClan know about this?" Autumnpaw asked.

"Not that we know of," Beeclaw replied. "That's why it's important this information stays within ShadowClan only."

Grovepelt hopped back out of the tunnel.

"That's right," he meowed, nodding in agreement with Beeclaw.

"Can we explore in the tunnel?" Poolpaw asked, his tail-tip twitching in excitement.

"I don't think ThunderClan or WindClan would appreciate four ShadowClan apprentices gallivanting around on their territory," Fogfur meowed drily, with a faint purr.

"The tunnel is only used during Gatherings or if Sedgestar gives us explicit permission to do so," Grovepelt added in a firm voice.

"Like during battles?" Pinepaw asked, her black fur bristling in excitement and maybe a bit of nervousness.

"Yes," Grovepelt meowed.

The apprentices exchanged wide-eyed looks. Frostpaw was the first to look away, her stomach flipping.

 _How am I supposed to fight warriors from other Clans?_ she thought nervously. She felt like she could barely fight a ball of moss, let alone a full sized, battle-trained warrior.

"Let's continue the tour of the territory," Grovepelt said, waving his tail to indicate for everyone to follow him.

The patrol padded off again, at a manageable trot this time, which Frostpaw's legs were grateful for. They turned away from the thunderpath, vanishing under the pines, and Frostpaw let out a quiet sigh as the stinging scent of the thunderpath faded behind them.

The group trekked through the forest in silence for a while. As they walked, Frostpaw began to wonder how the warriors knew where they were going. To her, all the dark pines seemed to look the same.

"Woah! Look at that!" Poolpaw gasped.

The patrol had padded into a small clearing in the forest. In the center of the clearing was an old, dead tree, but it still stood upright, like a withered ghost of what it must have been when it was alive. It was massive, with a twisted trunk, scorched black by some long-ago fire, and only some stubbed, gnarled branches at its crown—the rest of the branches evidently worn away by time or eaten by the fire that killed it. There was no other vegetation in the ring surrounding the tree, besides ferns and moss that made the ground spongy and cool under Frostpaw's pads.

_I wonder if the fire that killed the tree destroyed all the trees around it too, and they haven't grown back yet…_

"This is the Burnt Sycamore," Grovepelt said.

"You'll all be very familiar with it soon," Beeclaw meowed. "Most of your battle training will be done in the clearing here."

"Cool!" Poolpaw yowled, dashing forward to scramble up one of the twisted roots, his black and white fur bristling with excitement.

He started to scale the side of the tree.

"Stop dashing over to every new thing you see and get back over here," Swoopstrike snapped, scraping his claws against the ground. "Stop acting like a little kit. You are ShadowClan apprentice now, have some dignity!"

 _At least it seems like Swoopstrike is grumpy with everyone… it's not just me._ Frostpaw thought.

Still, Frostpaw felt her stomach twist in sympathy for Poolpaw as he scrambled back over to the ShadowClan patrol, his head bowed in embarrassment.

"We've still got a lot of ground to cover," Grovepelt meowed. "Come on."

The patrol padded off again. Frostpaw's legs were starting to get tired from all the walking, but she didn't dare slacken her pace. Not with Swoopstrike only a few tail-lengths away, watching her like a hawk.

Frostpaw noticed the composition of the trees around her beginning to change. They shifted from mostly evergreen pines to large sycamores which were less dense, like every tree needed more space to spread their massive crowns. The ground under Frostpaw's feet squelched as it turned more damp, and around her tall grasses started to crop up, surprising Frostpaw, since the rest of the territory she had seen contained little undergrowth. Frostpaw's ears pricked at the trickling sound of running water, but she saw no stream in sight. The pale green grasses around them became quite dense, and they stretched far above their heads, obscuring the path forward even as the patrol continued on. Frostpaw took another step forward, and suddenly the grasses parted, revealing a stream roughly three fox-lengths across.

"This water travels here all the way from RiverClan territory. It also goes through ThunderClan territory and is a part of the same river that forms the borders of RiverClan with both ThunderClan and WindClan," Grovepelt meowed over his shoulder to the apprentices, as he stood at the very edge of the stream. "But, don't worry. The stream here is much more shallow and slow-moving than the river by RiverClan."

"You should get a drink if you like. We have more to go," Fogfur said in his deep, rumbling voice.

Frostpaw padded forward and took a moment to lap up some of the pure, cool water. When she raised her head, she saw Grovepelt nodding his head, gesturing across the stream.

"Let's go," he said.

"We have to walk through the river?" Autumnpaw said incredulously, his eyes wide.

"You can't be a ShadowClan cat and expect to always keep your paws dry," Beeclaw said with a hint of amusement in his voice. "Half the territory is marsh, and the other half is mud."

"Aren't there any places with stepping stones or fallen trees?" Poolpaw meowed hopefully.

"Yes, but they are out of our way," Swoopstrike snapped, tail twitching irritably. "Just do as the deputy says."

"You won't have to swim," Grovepelt reassured. "Follow me."

Grovepelt slipped into the water, but as he padded across, even at the deepest point, the water only reached half-way up his sides.

"See?" he said over his shoulder.

The rest of the cats followed. Frostpaw winced at the water soaked into her belly fur, but she didn't say one word of complaint as she padded across. On the other side of the stream, the marsh continued on for a bit, but as they got farther from the river, the pines reclaimed their hold on the forest.

They walked and walked for so long, Frostpaw was sure that they must have padded through the whole forest. Then, she was startled to realized that she was right. The trees around them began to thin, then they suddenly stopped, and nothing but rolling golden fields stretched out in front of her. Frostpaw sniffed the air, she could smell the strong markers of ShadowClan scent again, but also the scents of different cats. Unlike the musty, nutty ThunderClan scent, this one was more sour with an edge that smelt of rabbits. Or, was the scent of rabbits just drifting over to Frostpaw on the breeze?

"This must be WindClan territory?" Autumnpaw asked.

"Yes," Beeclaw replied with a nod.

Frostpaw gazed out at the expanse of fields before her and gave a small shiver. Just looking out there made her feel so exposed. There was no where to hide on the empty moor.

"Why would a cat what to live somewhere with no trees?" Frostpaw muttered, half to herself.

"That's because WindClan cats don't think like normal cats. Their heads are filled with cotton," Swoopstrike said with a disdainful sniff.

Frostpaw looked over at Swoopstrike in surprise, caught off guard by the fact that the warrior had managed to say something to her without growling it out through clenched fangs.

Swoopstrike's gaze met Frostpaw's, and he seemed to suddenly remember who it was he was talking to. Swoopstrike's ears flattened, and he looked away from her.

"Have the apprentices seen enough?" Swoopstrike snapped to Grovepelt. "We've been up and down and across the territory all day, and my stomach is yowling with hunger."

Grovepelt rolled his eyes.

"By StarClan, Swoopstrike, you've been complaining more than the apprentices all day," Grovepelt said.

Swoopstrike muttered something under his breath about not even wanting to go on this patrol in the first place. Grovepelt continued, ignoring him.

"The sun is heading down, so we will head back to camp, although I wanted to stop by the carrion-place first," Grovepelt said.

"It's on the way back, so I'm sure that shouldn't be a problem for you, right Swoopstrike?" Grovepelt added with a sarcastic edge to his voice.

"Fine," Swoopstrike said in an audible voice this time.

Grovepelt turned and with a wave of his tail padded back into the trees, the rest of the patrol following him.

The sun was dipping towards the tops of the trees and their shadows were stretching long behind them by the time the group made it to the carrion-place. As they walked, the ground had grown more marshy again, and Frostpaw's nose wrinkled as she felt her paws squelching in the mud.

Like the thunderpath, Frostpaw could smell the carrion-place before she could see it. It reeked in a different way than the thunderpath did. While the thunderpath smelt sour and metallic, the carrion-place smelt rotten. As they padded out of the trees, Frostpaw's eyes widened at the strange sight before her. There was a small stretch of marshy grass between the trees and a tall web of a woven silver material in front of the patrol that stretched to the left and to the right.

As Frostpaw followed the web with her eyes, she could see that it encircled the entire carrion-place. It looked like to get in, the cats would have to either climb over it or dig their way under. The carrion-place itself was filled with piles of strange things. Some looked unnatural. They were shiny and metallic like the web or the pelt of the monster that they saw earlier. Other things Frostpaw could spot looked like rotting plants or rotting meat. But, mixed in with the rotting, there was a hint of a scent of good meat, a pervasive reek of rat, and a breeze of two-legs.

"There are so many things and weird scents. What is this place?" Autumnpaw meowed in confusion, echoing Frostpaw's thoughts.

"Two-legs come here every so often to leave things that they don't want in those piles," Beeclaw explained.

"We generally stay out of the carrion-place," Grovepelt said, shooting the apprentices a sharp look so they knew he was serious. "There are dozens of rats that live there. And, since two-legs are here sometimes too, it can be dangerous. There are also sometimes diseases…"

Grovepelt shook his head like he didn't want to think about it.

"Anyways, none of you are allowed to go in. No one is without special permission from Sedgestar. We avoid it if we can. But, it can be useful during starving leaf-bares when there is no prey in the forest because there are always rats and two-leg food to be found here. Luckily, we haven't had a bad enough leaf-bare to have to use it in seasons though," Grovepelt said.

The deputy turned and waved his tail for everyone to follow him.

"But, now let's head back to camp," he meowed from over his shoulder. "You've seen the landmarks of the territory, and you will become increasingly familiar with it through patrols and hunts."

Frostpaw cast a final look at the carrion-place, and when she turned around, she had to pick up her pace to catch up with the rest of the patrol. As the group padded through the quickly darkening forest, Frostpaw sighed in relief when she saw the thorn barrier that surrounded camp come into view. Her paws were dragging with tiredness, and her stomach clenched in hunger from not eating all day. The group brushed through the thorn tunnel and quickly fragmented, each apprentice splitting off with their respective mentor. Frostpaw hesitantly turned to Swoopstrike, waiting for his orders.

Swoopstrike wasn't even looking at her. He just stared off at something in the middle distance, his gaze and face blank.

"Go eat something, then get to your nest," Swoopstrike said in a flat voice. "Training starts at dawn."

Frostpaw nodded, but he was already walking away, scowling faintly to himself. Frostpaw's stomach flipped nervously as she watched him go. She sighed quietly, a feeling of despair settling over her.

_How am I going to put up with six moons of this?_


	6. Hunting

"Frostpaw!"

Frostpaw jerked awake in her nest to the sound of the harsh voice. Swoopstrike's black and silver striped head was peering into the bush and he glared at her with annoyed green eyes.

"Get out here," he snapped. "Or are you planning on sleeping the whole day away?"

"N-no," Frostpaw stammered, scrambling to her paws.

Swoopstrike had already vanished back outside.

Frostpaw stood a little too quickly and the branches of the holly bush that formed the apprentice's den scraped her ears. Frostpaw flinched, ducking down, and stepping around her den-mates, she quickly scrambled out of the bush.

It had only been a few sunrises since her apprentice ceremony, and she hadn't found training with Swoopstrike to have gotten any easier. She hadn't done much training at all with him either. So far, her days had consisted mostly of moss collection and border patrols. She knew that Poolpaw, Pinepaw, and Autumnpaw had already done some form of hunting or battle training... and the fact that she hadn't made her nervous. Frostpaw's tail twitched anxiously.

_Will Swoopstrike teach me anything at all? Is he not going to try, and then make me fail deliberately?_

Frostpaw swallowed around the lump in her throat.

_How will I prove myself if I'm never given the chance?_

Swoopstrike was waiting for her by the thorn tunnel, his tail tip twitching faintly. The weak light of dawn was just peeking through the trees, and it seemed like most of the camp was still asleep. Frostpaw padded up to Swoopstrike, biting back a comment about how he said she was sleeping the day away, but the whole rest of the clan wasn't even up yet.

"We're going hunting today," Swoopstrike said, shooting Frostpaw a perceptive look. "I wanted an early start."

Frostpaw felt a surge of relief that they were finally going hunting, followed by a flash of surprise that Swoopstrike had been able to guess her thoughts about the morning so easily. She nodded mutely.

_Can he read my mind?!_

Swoopstrike stood and gave a deep stretch, his lanky legs reaching far out behind him. Frostpaw shifted impatiently from paw to paw as she waited for him to finish, and her stomach suddenly gave a low growl. Frostpaw winced in embarrassment, shooting Swoopstrike a look out of the corner of her eyes. She wasn't able to tell if his whiskers were twitching in amusement, or if that was just the wind.

"Hungry?" Swoopstrike quipped.

"A little," Frostpaw admitted.

"Good. It'll make your claws sharper. Let's get going," Swoopstrike said, finishing his stretch and bounding through the tunnel without another word, leaving Frostpaw to follow.

Frostpaw ran after her mentor, her paws flying as the two cats flashed through the still dark forest. Once they were a little ways away from camp, Swoopstrike slowed rapidly, coming to an almost jarring stop. He turned to Frostpaw just as quickly, causing her to jump slightly in surprise.

"What prey can you scent?" Swoopstrike asked.

"Um…" Frostpaw meowed uncertainly.

She took a few hesitant sniffs of the air.

"Open your mouth and draw the scent over your tongue. It'll heighten the smells," Swoopstrike said.

Frostpaw obeyed, closing her eyes for good measure to block out any visual distractions as she focused solely on scent. A hint of warm prey scent drifted over to her on the breeze, piercing it's way out of the deep, sharp scent of pine that surrounded her.

"Mouse?" she meowed, her eyes flickering open.

Swoopstrike's tail twitched.

"Was that a question or do you scent it?" he asked, an edge of irritation to his meow.

"I scent it," Frostpaw said, her ears flattening slightly.

"Good," he said curtly. "So, go find it. But, first…"

Swoopstrike led Frostpaw to a patch of toadstools growing at the roots of a nearby pine. Swoopstrike flopped over and rolled in the patch for a few moments. Then he stood, gave his pelt a shake to dislodge any dirt that clung to it, and nodded at the now mangled patch of mushrooms to indicate for Frostpaw to do the same.

Frostpaw looked at the toadstools then at Swoopstrike, a bewildered expression on her face. Swoopstrike gave a sigh of exasperation.

"The thing ShadowClan is best at is stalking, right?" he said in a tone like he was explaining the clans to a not-particularly bright kit. "Not even our prey see, hear or scent us. It's to disguise our scents."

Frostpaw bit her tongue against the annoyed snarl that threatened to creep across her muzzle and obediently rolled in the toadstools for a few moments. She stood and sniffed her pelt. She smelt just like a patch of mushrooms.

"I've never smelt any hunting patrol returning to camp reeking of mushrooms," Frostpaw muttered, half of her wondering if Swoopstrike had just made the whole thing up as an elaborate prank to embarrass her.

Swoopstrike didn't seem that childish, but there was no way to be sure.

"A quick grooming removes the scent easily," Swoopstrike said. "Be sure you roll in something before every hunt. It doesn't always have to be mushrooms, any mildly smelly plant will do. Just make sure it's not an herb that Clearstream uses or she'll claw your whiskers off."

Frostpaw snorted quietly to herself. It was hard to imagine the mild-mannered medicine cat raising her voice, let alone clawing someone. Her apprentice Elmclaw on the other paw…

Swoopstrike flicked his tail at Frostpaw, snapping her out of her thoughts.

"Show me how you stalk," he said.

Frostpaw obediently slipped into the hunting crouch that she and the other kits had often practiced with Weaseltail.

Since ShadowClan territory had little undergrowth for cover, she was pressed as low to the ground as she could be to make her form as hidden as possible from any prey. Frostpaw also made sure her tail was held straight out behind her, in line with her spine, not sticking up to alert the prey, and not so low that it dragged on the ground. Frostpaw stalked forward a few fox-lengths to demonstrate.

"Walk quieter," Swoopstrike snapped.

Frostpaw laid her paws down as quietly as possible, doing her best to silently glide across the ground.

"Not terrible," Swoopstrike grunted. "We'll see how it holds up against real prey. Now, back to that mouse."

Swoopstrike had her take the lead and soon the two of them were slinking through the pine trees, following the mouse's scent trail. They slowed as the scent got stronger.

"Stick to the shadows," Swoopstrike whispered before nodding to Frostpaw to indicate she should go ahead.

Frostpaw breathed in deeply. The mouse scent was strong, although she still had no sight of it. She crept forward, careful to keep her paw-steps light, her eyes flittering across the forest floor. Her gaze locked ahead when she spotted a flicker of motion near the roots of an oak tree. She spotted a small brown mouse rooting around the leaves there, sniffing for insects. Frostpaw felt her mouth start to water at the sight of it, and her stomach clenched at the thought of food. Her tail almost started to twitch in excitement, but she stopped it just in time, before it could ruffle the leaves and alert the mouse to her presence.

Taking a deep breath to steady herself, Frostpaw started to creep forward. As Swoopstrike instructed, she stuck to the shadows of the trees that the now rising sun cast on the ground. Her approach was as silent as an owl's flight. The mouse seemed to have no idea that she was stalking it, and it obliviously continued its leaf rustling. Once Frostpaw was within pouncing distance, she paused for a moment to ready herself. Carefully judging the distance between her and her prey, Frostpaw bunched up her muscles and leapt. Her forepaws landed squarely down on the mouse, which let out a pained squeak before Frostpaw dropped her head down and snapped its neck with a quick bite.

_I did it!_

Frostpaw felt a rush of excitement surge through her as she lifted her head with the mouse hanging limply from her jaws. She had managed to catch something on her first try! Frostpaw glanced up and felt some of her excitement fade as Swoopstrike padded up to her, frowning.

"Not bad, but you hesitated too much before pouncing," he said, tail-tip twitching. "If the mouse had decided to look up, it would've spotted you. You need to go right from stalking to leaping, no hesitation."

Frostpaw's whiskers drooped slightly, and she nodded. Swoopstrike lifted his nose to sniff the air. He nodded towards the mouse in Frostpaw's jaws.

"I'll take care of storing that," he meowed. "You keep on going, see what else you can find."

Frostpaw nodded again and dropped the mouse on the ground. She scented the air, then padded off into the forest. She continued to sniff as she walked, but she wasn't having luck picking up any prey scent. Frostpaw cast a glance over her shoulder. Swoopstrike hadn't caught up to her yet, and there seemed to be nothing but empty forest around her. Suddenly, the scent of lizard came in on the breeze. Frostpaw hesitated for a moment before shrugging and padding after the scent. She didn't care much for lizard herself, but some of her clan-mates preferred their meat to be scaly.

As Frostpaw rounded some trees, she spotted the lizard ahead, sunning itself in the morning light on a small pile of stones. Frostpaw crouched down low, quickly stalking up to the prey. She didn't hesitate this time before her pounce like Swoopstrike told her to, but she misjudged the distance and landed a little short of the lizard, which startled and started to scamper away.

"Snake-dung!" Frostpaw cursed, scrambling forward to try to snag the lizard with her claws.

But, it slipped between the cracks of two stones and vanished. Frostpaw sat up, her tail-tip twitching in irritation.

_So much for "no hesitation." How are you supposed to know how far to pounce if you don't take a moment to check?_

Frostpaw looked around, but there was still no sign of Swoopstrike. Frostpaw sighed; at least he hadn't been around to witness her miss.

Frostpaw lingered by the stones for a few moments longer, seeing if he would appear, but Swoopstrike seemed to have vanished into the pine forest. Frostpaw's tail was slowly drooping.

_What am I supposed to do without my mentor? Does he expect me to hunt alone?_

Frostpaw clenched her jaw. If Swoopstrike wasn't going to show up to help her, she wouldn't just hang around the forest like a lost kit.

_I guess he's not even going to try to train me. But, I don't care. I'll catch a ton of prey to bring back to camp, that'll show him that I'm not useless._

Frostpaw set off again with determination in her step.

The morning sun inched higher into the sky, shining golden light down through the pine needles. It was turning into a beautiful new-leaf day, but prey were sleepy this morning, and Frostpaw was approaching the WindClan border with nothing to show but one small frog that she stumbled upon in a puddle a little ways back.

Frostpaw scented the air and felt her heart pick up in excitement when she scented a bird.

 _Finally,_ she thought, falling into her crouch and following the scent trail.

The scent led her closer to the WindClan border. She could see the golden grass of the moor peeking out between the trunks of the pines when she spotted the bird a few fox-lengths away from her. It was a robin on the marshy ground, pecking at an unlucky worm.

Frostpaw locked her eyes on the robin, hardly daring to breathe as to not disturb it as she stalked closer. The robin seemed very intent on its own meal though, and not on the approaching apprentice. Frostpaw was almost close enough to pounce. Her hindquarters wiggled as she prepared to leap…

Frostpaw's concentration was shattered by a boisterous voice calling from across the moor.

 _"ShadowClan!_ What are you doing so close to the border?!"

The loud voice startled both Frostpaw and the robin, and the bird took flight, shooting into the air and vanishing into the dense tangle of pine branches above with a loud alarm call. Frostpaw didn't even bother trying to leap after it, instead her head jerked up in shock, and she looked over to see a WindClan patrol streaking across the moor with a lanky light ginger tom in the lead.

"What's the matter, lizard got your tongue?" the ginger tom sneered. "I asked you what are you doing so close to our territory? Your rank ShadowClan scent is drifting all across the moor and scaring off our prey!"

It took Frostpaw a moment to understand that the cat was talking to _her,_ and running over in her direction.

Frostpaw realized with a jolt that she was so used to thinking as the other cats in the Clan as "ShadowClan" and herself as not, that she forgot that anyone outside of the Clan would just see her as one of them.

Frostpaw quickly backed away from the approaching patrol, her pelt bristling slightly in fear. The WindClan cats were sprinting over to her so quickly, she was almost sure they would barrel straight into the forest and leap at her, but the cats came to a skidding stop just short of the border. Frostpaw continued to back away into the shadows of the pines, her heart hammering loudly in her chest as she took in their fierce expressions. She slowly unsheathed her claws.

"Don't try to run away from me," the light ginger tom snarled angrily, striding to the side so he could look directly at Frostpaw from around the trunks of the trees.

His gaze was as fierce as claws raking her pelt as he stared at her.

"If you've done nothing wrong, what do you have to be afraid of?" he spat.

"I didn't do anything… And, I'm not afraid," Frostpaw snarled in the best not-afraid voice she could manage, swallowing nervously as she eyed the four angry cats in the patrol.

"You look like you are," the ginger tom hissed, flattening his large ears. "You'd only be so scared if you're guilty of something."

"I'm not!" Frostpaw protested in a stronger voice, her gaze wide.

"So, what have you been doing? Trespassing? Prey-stealing?" the tom continued, ignoring her, his eyes furious, narrow slits.

Frostpaw dug her claws into the ground at the ridiculous accusations, feeling the first stirrings of anger appear in her chest to replace the fear.

"Nothing!" Frostpaw said, baring her teeth. "I wasn't on your territory!"

"Tell me the truth, you lying frog-breath!" the ginger tom spat, pacing at the border, his claws out and his tail lashing.

_I was doing nothing wrong! I hadn't crossed the border!_

Frostpaw felt a surge of white-hot anger fill her at the injustice of it. The anger rushed over her and suddenly, she found words spilling out of her mouth seemingly before her mind could even process them.

"Why in StarClan's name would I want to be in WindClan territory, cotton-head?!" Frostpaw snarled. "It's barren and empty! There's nothing there but stupid rabbits and stupid rabbit-brained cats like you!"

"How _dare_ you!" the ginger tom growled, all the fur down his back bristling as he took a pace forward, over the border.

Frostpaw startled in surprise as there was a sound behind her that sounded like a mixture between a snarl and a roar. Frostpaw crouched in terror and felt the fur on her head and back stir in a breeze as a silver shadow leapt over her and charged up to the border. Frostpaw blinked in surprise, her fear fading as she recognized the silver and black dappled pelt as Swoopstrike. All of his fur stood on end, making him look almost twice as big as normal. His green eyes had a wild glint to them, and his lips were drawn back in a snarl so terrifying that it even made the aggressive ginger WindClan tom quickly take a pace back, onto to WindClan side of the border. Swoopstrike shot straight up to the ginger tom, stopping just short of the scent-markers, where he arched his back and let out a furious hiss, his silver and black striped tail lashing from side to side.

"I knew WindClan cats were stupid, but I didn't think that you all were this stupid!" Swoopstrike hissed, clawing at the ground with his claws. "First you harass my apprentice while she was hunting on _ShadowClan_ land. Then you dare cross our border and trespass into our territory?!"

Swoopstrike locked his searing gaze on the ginger tom.

"WindClan's leader, the mighty Rabbitstar, crossing our border to try to attack an apprentice barely older than six moons with _no_ battle training on ShadowClan's own territory!" Swoopstrike reiterated with a mocking sneer. "Oh this is good. I can't wait to hear what Sedgestar will say when I tell him about this!"

 _That's Rabbitstar!?_ Frostpaw thought, her eyes wide in shock.

"She was close to the border," Rabbitstar snapped defensively. "How do I know she wasn't prey-stealing?"

"She wasn't because I was watching her the whole time, cotton-brain!" Swoopstrike said, tail lashing impatiently.

Rabbitstar snorted, giving an exaggerated eye-roll.

"Yeah, okay. Like the word of two ShadowClan cats matters to me," he said.

Swoopstrike stilled suddenly, his once lashing tail now held stiff behind him.

"Well, I know our word will matter to Sedgestar," Swoopstrike said with an ominous growl, his eyes glinting with an unspoken threat.

Swoopstrike's implication didn't go unnoticed by WindClan's leader.

"Are you threatening me, Swoopstrike?" Rabbitstar asked, digging his claws into the ground.

"We have this saying in ShadowClan: Look before you leap because that worm might turn out to be a snake," Swoopstrike growled. "You better watch yourself, Rabbitstar, before you get bit."

With that, Swoopstrike curled his lip up at Rabbitstar in a final derisive snarl and whipped around, stalking back into the trees. As Swoopstrike padded past Frostpaw, he flicked his tail at her to indicate that she should follow. Frostpaw was eager to obey, scrambling after him and letting out a quiet sigh as the dense pines quickly hid the WindClan patrol from her sight.

"We're going back to camp and telling Sedgestar about this immediately," Swoopstrike growled in a voice that vibrated with rage. "That cotton-brained Rabbitstar has really done it this time. Who does he think he is? We'll _flay_ him and leave that shiny orange pelt of his hanging on a branch for the buzzards to pick clean."

Frostpaw nodded along, keeping her mouth shut in fear that if she said anything that it turned out he disagreed with, her mentor would turn his fury onto her.

Frostpaw felt some of the tension drain from her shoulders as they stalked further into ShadowClan territory and away from the moors' border. Swoopstrike might not be her favorite cat in the forest, but she sure had been happy to see him springing out of the shadows to rescue her from WindClan.

Swoopstrike glanced at Frostpaw out of the corner of his eye.

"You did well standing up to them," Swoopstrike muttered the compliment grudgingly in a softer voice.

He glanced away from her, and his voice turned back to a harsh tone that Frostpaw was much more familiar with.

"But, you should've scented them coming before they saw you, and then vanished back into the trees," Swoopstrike snapped. "There's no need to stir up fights unnecessarily; you can learn much more about our enemies by watching them from the shadows. Cats that don't know they're being watched have loose tongues. Of course, there was nothing wrong with you hunting by the border, but Rabbitstar is extremely hot-headed and he'd claw anyone outside of WindClan up just for looking at him funny."

Frostpaw resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

_I wonder what other cat that sounds like…_

But, nevertheless, Frostpaw felt a spark of warmth appear in her chest at the advice and _compliment_ she got from Swoopstrike.

Frankly, she was shocked that it appeared like Swoopstrike was even trying to train her at all. After he abandoned her to hunt alone, she had been convinced that the warrior wasn't even going to try. But, it turned out he had been watching her the whole time. Was him leaving her to hunt alone all a part of his training strategy and not just cruelty?

… _I wonder, if I can get Swoopstrike to like me, then will everyone else in ShadowClan follow suit?_

 _Well, he doesn't even have to like me,_ Frostpaw amended, shooting a quick look at Swoopstrike's scowling face. _But, tolerate me at least._

The rest of the trek back to camp was spent in silence. Swoopstrike spent the time quietly fuming over WindClan, occasionally muttering curses about Rabbitstar under his breath, while Frostpaw tried to work out her plan to win Swoopstrike's favor. It was funny, only a few pawfuls of sunrises ago, before she was an apprentice, the task of making Swoopstrike like her would not only have seemed close to impossible, but also something that she saw no point in pursuing. But, now, she already had one compliment in her favor, and the task seemed much less insurmountable.

Frostpaw found Snakeeyes' words coming back to her again.

_"You will have to fight twice as hard, hunt twice as much, run twice as far as them to prove yourself."_

… _I can do it._ Frostpaw thought, determination filling her.

She felt a jolt of surprise at the strength of the feeling. She didn't realize until now how much she _wanted_ this. She wanted ShadowClan to accept her. She wanted the easy companionship of friends. The sense of blind comfort that she had as a young kit with her mother, knowing that someone was there that she could rely on no matter what. As much as Frostpaw liked Redclaw and the other queens, she knew that she never gave them the chance to be that for her.

Frostpaw felt a flash of guilt.

She knew Redclaw was a good cat, who defended and loved Frostpaw, but Frostpaw had closed her heart to her, in fear that if she let her in, she would be replacing May… or even worse, she feared that if she let herself love Redclaw, it would destroy her if she lost her like she lost May. But, in this effort to protect herself, Frostpaw had closed herself off to _everyone._ And, now… she was so lonely.

The feeling surged over her so powerfully, Frostpaw bit the insides of her cheek to stop herself from suddenly wailing like a lost kit.

She and Swoopstrike finally made it back to camp, and they padded inside through the thorn tunnel, the brambles scraping Frostpaw's fur as she pushed her way through. In in the center of camp, Swoopstrike gestured for Frostpaw to stay there, as he headed alone towards the entrance of the leader's den nestled in the Oak Tree's roots. Frostpaw stood in the center of camp. Her thoughts had drifted far from the confrontation with WindClan, and now she just felt utterly lost.

_What do I do? Where do I even begin?_

Her gaze flickered to over by the fresh-kill pile, where she spotted Autumnpaw's familiar fluffy dark ginger and white pelt. He was talking with Murmurkit and Mosskit, and Frostpaw felt the turmoil in her heart ease slightly.

_At least… I'm not entirely alone._

She may have not let Redclaw or Autumnpaw in as much as she should've. But, the two of them seemed to care for her anyways. Weaseltail, Larkfoot, and Amberberry were also kind to her. And, Poolpaw was tolerable at the times he wasn't being an annoying frog-brain. And, Pinepaw… well Frostpaw would work on her along with Swoopstrike.

Frostpaw padded towards Autumnpaw, and her ears pricked as snippets of his conversation drifted over to her. Murmurkit and Mosskit were begging him to show them his hunting crouch or some battle moves. Autumnpaw was bragging with a playful glint in his amber eyes about the territory that he explored. Autumnpaw's gaze flicked up and he spotted Frostpaw approaching them.

"Oh, hi Frostpaw!" Autumnpaw meowed cheerfully. "I didn't expect you to be back from your hunting lessons so soon."

"Hi Autumnpaw," Frostpaw greeted him.

She turned towards the kits.

"Hi Murmurkit. Hi Mosskit," she added.

The two of them blinked at her in surprise. Frostpaw felt her fur start to flush with embarrassed heat as she realized that the whole time that they were in the nursery together, she barely said more than a few words to them, and never asked to play or anything...

_No wonder they look so surprised._

"Hi Frostpaw," Murmurkit said quietly.

"Autumnpaw was telling us about how much territory he's seen!" Mosskit meowed excitedly, seemingly not bothered by Frostpaw's sudden acknowledgement of her and her sister. "Have you seen it too?"

"Yeah, she went on the same tour as I did," Autumnpaw said. "Our mentors showed us _everything."_

Mosskit's eyes shone in excitement.

"Have you seen any cats from the other Clans? What are they like?" she asked, particularly bouncing with energy.

"Well… no, not yet," Autumnpaw meowed regretfully, his ears dropping in disappointment.

Frostpaw hesitated. Autumnpaw glanced over to her, his brow furrowing as he read her expression.

"Wait… have you seen them? Did something happen today? Is that why you are back already?" Autumnpaw asked, his ears snapping back up as he suddenly became as excited as Mosskit.

Now all three of them turned to her, their eyes wide and eager.

"Well…" Frostpaw said, her heart racing nervously at the undivided attention the three cats were showing her. "Swoopstrike is talking to Sedgestar. I don't know if he wants me to tell anyone until Sedgestar decides what to do…"

 _"What?!"_ Autumnpaw exclaimed, his mouth comically gaping open. "Your mentor's talking to Sedgestar about it!? I'm dying of curiosity now. Now you have you tell us!"

"We won't tell anyone," Murmurkit promised.

"Please!" Mosskit added.

Frostpaw's tail-tip twitched indecisively. She didn't want Swoopstrike to get mad at her, especially not when she'd just decided she wanted him to like her. But, also, these three cats were looking at her so eagerly. They were happy to hear her talk; they wanted to know what she had to say. How many times had that happened to her before? ... Not often.

"Okay," she finally conceded. "I saw a WindClan patrol today."

"And…?" Autumnpaw prompted. "Swoopstrike wouldn't be talking to Sedgestar right now, if you just saw them and nothing else happened."

"I was hunting near the border, and they came over to me because they were suspicious that I was too close to their territory. Rabbitstar stepped over the border, acting like he might attack me, before Swoopstrike stepped in and stopped him," Frostpaw said quickly.

"Holy StarClan!" Autumnpaw exclaimed, his eyes as wide as moons. "The leader of WindClan tried to attack you?!"

Frostpaw shrugged.

"He could've been just trying to scare me. I guess I don't know if he was _actually_ going to," Frostpaw said.

She fell into a thoughtful silence for a moment.

"Although, maybe. I got him mad because I called him rabbit-brained," she added.

 _"You_ called WindClan's leader rabbit-brained?" Murmurkit said with a purr.

Mosskit and Autumnpaw joined in with _mrrows_ of laughter, and Frostpaw felt her pelt flush with heat.

"Well I didn't know that it was _Rabbitstar_ that I called _rabbit_ -brained," Frostpaw said.

"That's hilarious," Autumnpaw said, gasping for breath between his deep rumbling laughs.

"I can't believe you've only been apprentices for a few sunrises and you're already doing so many cool things!" Mosskit added with a jealous sigh.

"Well you and Murmurkit are only about a moon younger than us," Frostpaw pointed out. "So, you two will be apprentices very soon too."

"Gossiping already?"

Frostpaw jumped guiltily at the sound of Swoopstrike's rasping voice from behind her. She turned around quickly to face him, her pelt prickling in apprehension.

"Swoopstrike! I'm sorry, I was just—"

Swoopstrike interrupted her with a shake of his head.

"Doesn't matter," he meowed curtly. "Sedgestar is making an announcement to the whole Clan about WindClan this evening. And, he plans on confronting them at the gathering tonight, so everyone in the forest will know soon enough."

"Are you and Frostpaw going to the gathering?" Mosskit asked Swoopstrike, her eyes bright with excitement.

"Yes," Swoopstrike said. "Sedgestar said all of the apprentices are going. ShadowClan has the most apprentices and warriors out of all of the Clans right now. Sedgestar wants make sure everyone knows it. We're giving a show of strength."

Frostpaw felt her stomach flip nervously.

_I'm going to a gathering? Tonight? There will be so many cats there. Not to mention Rabbitstar and the WindClan cats that wanted to rip my pelt off today…_

Swoopstrike turned to Frostpaw.

"Change the elder's nests and bring them some fresh-kill. Then get something to eat yourself and rest up for the gathering," Swoopstrike said sharply.

Then he turned and padded out of camp without so much as another word. Frostpaw watched him go, wondering where he was off to, but her thoughts were distracted by Autumnpaw giving her side an enthusiastic shove.

"Can you believe it!" he meowed excitedly. "Our first gathering already! Tonight! I can't wait to tell Poolpaw and Pinepaw!"

Frostpaw nodded, but her paws pricked with nervousness at the thought of seeing Rabbitstar and the other WindClan warriors again.

_What is Sedgestar going to do?_


	7. The Gathering

Frostpaw felt distracted during her duties all day. When she was changing the elder's bedding, she barely noticed how Flymask muttered unhappily about a rogue in the Clan while she fetched him fresh moss for his nest, and scraped out the old, musty smelling stuff.

Once she finished, she padded out of the elder's den to give her pelt a quick grooming to remove the bits of moss that clung to her fur. She spotted Autumnpaw with Poolpaw and Pinepaw near the fresh-kill pile. Like he could feel her gaze on him, Autumnpaw raised his head and glanced over at Frostpaw, waving his tail at her to gesture for her to come over to them. Frostpaw rose to her paws and obeyed, pretending not to hear Pinepaw's sigh of disappointment as she padded up to the siblings.

"Have you eaten yet?" Autumnpaw meowed, a rabbit at his paws. "Remember, Swoopstrike said we need to eat before we head to the gathering! Do you want to share this with me?"

Frostpaw looked at the prey with curiosity. Not many rabbits found their way into ShadowClan's pine forest and marshes

"Sure," Frostpaw meowed.

She bent down and took a bite of the rabbit.

"It's good," she meowed. "I haven't had rabbit before."

"Well then move your fluffy tail over and let me try!" Autumnpaw said with a purr of amusement.

Frostpaw obediently scooted over and Autumnpaw tucked into the prey.

"It is good," he mumbled through a mouthful of meat. "And that'll show WindClan! We got one of their rabbits."

"And, why do we care about WindClan?" Pinepaw asked with a wrinkle of her nose.

"Did you hear?" Autumnpaw meowed, an excited gleam in his amber eyes. "Frostpaw got into a confrontation with WindClan today!"

"Really?" Poolpaw asked, turning to Frostpaw.

Pinepaw flattened her ears.

"Are you sure she's just not making it all up?" Pinepaw sniffed.

Frostpaw shrugged, not in the mood to argue with the difficult she-cat.

"Sedgestar is going to make an announcement about it before we leave for the gathering," Frostpaw meowed. "So, you'll hear about it soon enough."

Frostpaw quickly finished off her half of the rabbit before excusing herself to the apprentice's den to take a nap before the gathering.

She pushed her way through the unfriendly looking holly bush that guarded the apprentice's den and into the much cozier, friendlier looking, moss-lined interior. Damppaw was the only other apprentice in the den, and he was sound asleep in his nest. Frostpaw quietly padded around him, careful not to wake him up and have her ears clawed off by him for being an annoying rogue that stomped around as loudly as a badger. Luckily, the tom remained fast asleep, and she made it to her nest without incident. Frostpaw's nest was pushed up against the wall of the den, next to the holly bush's branches. It was more drafty than the nests more close to the center of the den, but it was new-leaf so the air wasn't too cold, and Frostpaw's long pelt was thick. Autumnpaw's, Poolpaw's and Pinepaw's nests were more close to the center of the den, but Damppaw and Dewpaw as the oldest apprentices, got the best nests, right in the center. Frostpaw supposed that she could try to move her nest closer to her younger den-mates. She didn't think Autumnpaw, Poolpaw or Dewpaw would mind, but she hadn't thought it worth the fight that it would probably create with Pinepaw and Damppaw.

So, Frostpaw settled into her cramped little nest pushed up against the holly's branches, closed her eyes and let the dark blanket of sleep wash over her.

Frostpaw was jerked awake by a paw shaking her shoulder. She blinked her eyes open, the fluffy red form standing over her coming into focus as the sleep faded from her vision.

"The sun is starting to set," Autumnpaw meowed. "I think Sedgestar is going to call a clan meeting soon."

Frostpaw felt a flash of anxiety as she imagined Sedgestar talking about her to the whole clan, but she did her best to push the feeling away and ignore it.

"Coming," Frostpaw muttered through a wide yawn.

She stumbled to her paws, and as Autumnpaw excitedly bounded out of the den, she followed more slowly.

As Frostpaw exited the holly bush, she scanned the camp, spotting Sedgestar sitting at the base of Clanrock, close to the moss-covered entrance to the medicine cat's den. He sat in a small circle with Grovepelt, Emberflower, Clearstream, and Elmclaw. Sedgestar seemed to be listening intently to something Clearstream was saying, nodding along to his medicine cat's words.

Frostpaw glanced away from him and looked around camp. There seemed to be a lot of cats milling about, probably eager to know who would be going to the gathering. Frostpaw padded over to where Autumnpaw and the rest of the other apprentices were sitting, taking a seat a little on the outskirts of the group.

The sun had just dipped below the horizon when Sedgestar excused himself from his inner circle of advisors and bounded to the top of the Clanrock, his eyes bright.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather beneath Clanrock for a clan meeting!" Sedgestar announced.

Frostpaw noticed that the words were really more ceremonial than anything else because almost everyone was already hanging out in camp, expecting some sort of announcement before the gathering. But, the cats quieted down and turned towards their leader.

Sedgestar was quiet for a moment like he was getting his thoughts in order.

"As you all know," Sedgestar began. "Tonight is a night of the full-moon. But, before we leave for the gathering, there are some important things that everyone should hear."

Sedgestar hesitated for a moment, his brown-striped tail twitching.

"WindClan and its leader Rabbitstar have insulted us today," Sedgestar said, his voice becoming cold. "Rabbitstar blatantly crossed our borders in an attempt to attack Frostpaw while she and Swoopstrike were hunting near the WindClan border. Swoopstrike managed to drive Rabbitstar back onto his own land, but this insult to us cannot stand."

Yowls of anger rose up from the crowd.

"Who does Rabbitstar think he is?!" Greytail hissed, baring her yellowed fangs.

"At least WindClan's old leader had some respect for ShadowClan," Flymask complained to his den-mates. "Rabbitstar has less sense than a kit!"

"If I was a few seasons younger, I'd teach that scrawny tom a lesson!" Treefur growled in agreement, digging his claws into the ground.

Sedgestar waved his tail for silence. Reluctantly the clan settled down. Darkpelt got to his paws, gazing up at Sedgestar.

"What are we going to do about them?" Darkpelt growled, his black fur bristling.

"WindClan cannot face us in battle," Sedgestar rumbled in a low, threatening voice. "If they have any sense, they must know that. We have them in numbers and strength."

There was a little bit of cheering from the crowd. Frostpaw glanced over at her den-mates. Pinepaw, Damppaw, and Poolpaw were among the cheerers; they gazed up at Sedgestar with bright eyes.

"…Because of this, I hope to solve this transgression without conflict," Sedgestar continued over the cheering of the crowd.

The cheering quickly died away, and some cats gazed up at Sedgestar in confusion.

"Why?" Fogfur protested, rising to his paws. "If we can beat them in battle, why don't we? That will teach them a lesson."

"You're not wrong," Sedgestar said to Fogfur, nodding to him. "But, Rabbitstar didn't steal any prey or attack anyone, even though he may have tried. I would rather not risk injuring my warriors for a relatively small insult. Granted, we cannot allow this behavior from WindClan to continue because then it could escalate to something much worse. So, if Rabbitstar doesn't change his ways, a battle will be inevitable… but at least for right now, it isn't."

Fogfur sat down without another word of protest, but he was still frowning slightly. Frostpaw glanced over at Swoopstrike to see what his expression looked like, but his face was unreadable.

"I will demand an apology from Rabbitstar tonight in front of the other leaders," Sedgestar continued. "Rabbitstar insulted our pride by trespassing, so he will have to swallow his pride and humble himself before us, the other four clans, and StarClan to make up for it. We will also show Rabbitstar that we are strong and not to be trifled with. I want all of the apprentices and their mentors to come to the gathering tonight. Emberflower, Hootflight, Darkpelt, Leafbreeze, Redclaw and Weaseltail will come too."

The named cats rose to their paws as Sedgestar bounded down from Clanrock, indicating that the meeting was over.

"We will head out when it's fully dark," Sedgestar meowed to the standing group.

Frostpaw gazed at the large group of cats. She knew from Swoopstrike that ShadowClan was the biggest clan in the forest right now, and it seemed that Sedgestar wanted to make sure WindClan was well aware of that since he had chosen a huge group of warriors to go. Autumnpaw turned around and his gaze met Frostpaw's. He bounded over to her, his fur prickling with excitement.

"WindClan won't even know what hit them!" he said.

* * *

After sunset, the large group headed off, silently trekking through the dark forest.

Frostpaw glanced around. Despite the full moon, the dense canopy of pine branches above them blotted out most of the light, and all she could make out of her clan-mates were flickers of shadows here and there, and flashes of reflective eyes. The large group also moved with surprising quietness, no one spoke or hardly made a sound at all. Frostpaw had to consciously lay her paws as carefully and quietly as she could on the ground as they walked, not wanting to be the only one with noisy footfalls.

As they padded past the Burnt Sycamore, Frostpaw recognized the direction they were heading; towards the ThunderClan border.

_We must be going to the tunnel. Grovepelt said it was used to get to gatherings._

Frostpaw's hunch was right, and soon the acidic tang of the thunderpath hung in the air as Sedgestar led the group towards the tunnel that went under the thunderpath. Sedgestar was the first to enter the black hole that yawned in the earth, and the last thing Frostpaw saw was his brown-striped tail flicking to indicate for the group to follow before that too was swallowed by the shadows. Frostpaw waited her turn as the patrol streamed through the tunnel. After Swoopstrike vanished inside, Frostpaw padded up to the tunnel and forced herself not to hesitate as she strode inside.

She blinked. It was pitch black down there, and Frostpaw was guided forward only by her whiskers. After walking for a short while, Frostpaw felt two breezes on her whiskers from different directions, which seemed to indicate a split in the tunnel ahead. Frostpaw scented the air, and sure enough through the stinging scent of the thunderpath, she seemed to detect the sweet scent of heather from the moorland in one direction, and the musky scent of trees in another. Her clan-mates scent headed towards the trees, so Frostpaw continued on that way.

Pale moonlight flickered ahead, heralding the end of the tunnel. As Frostpaw exited the tunnel, she had to crouch down low under a prickly bramble bush that grew hunched over the entrance, hiding it from view. As Frostpaw wiggled out from under the bush, she blinked as she emerged back into the outside world. But, this forest wasn't the familiar one that she had just been walking through. For one, there weren't as many pine trees, and there was much more dense undergrowth in every direction. Frostpaw's pelt prickled uncomfortably as she looked around. She didn't like not being able to see the area around her; it made her feel boxed in.

Sedgestar and the rest of the patrol were waiting a few fox-lengths away from the bramble bush for everyone to appear from the mouth of the tunnel. Frostpaw padded over to them, and they waited until Leafbreeze, the last in the patrol emerged. Then Sedgestar waved his tail, and the group was off again. It was a short walk through the woods to a crest of a hill, where Sedgestar and the rest of the patrol lingered. Frostpaw looked down the hill, and her eyes widened at the sight before her.

Four massive oak trees soared towards the sky down in the hollow at the base of the hill. The trees were ringed by a dense circle of vegetation, but she could see the forms of cats flickering through the undergrowth in the clearing between the trees. Right in the center of the clearing a huge boulder jutted upwards. It was even bigger than Clanrock, and it made an imposing lone figure; the cats beside it looked tiny in comparison.

Sedgestar gave a flick of his tail, and like a surging river, ShadowClan ran down the hill together. Frostpaw was careful to keep up with her clan-mates, not wanting to be the only one lingering behind on the hill. As soon as the cats brushed through the vegetation and into the clearing, the silent spell that had seemed to have been hanging over the patrol was broken. Frostpaw watched her clan-mates happily chatting with each other, some even headed off alone into the crowd, meowing hellos at acquaintances from other Clans. Frostpaw hung back, taking in the huge groups of cats, unsure of where to begin.

Frostpaw was glad to see that Autumnpaw, Poolpaw, and Pinepaw were also lingering by the edge, looking as overwhelmed as she felt. Frostpaw padded over to them and Autumnpaw greeted her with a quick purr.

"Where do we start?" Poolpaw gasped, unabashedly staring into the crowd.

"The crowd can seem a bit overwhelming your first gathering," Redclaw purred, padding up to the group of apprentices. "Why don't you try talking to some apprentices from different clans? The night of the full moon is a truce, so there's no need to worry about getting your fur clawed."

"I'm not worried!" Pinepaw huffed, shaking out her dark coat. "But, I don't want to talk to any _WindClan_ apprentices. And, I don't know why Sedgestar is even bothering talking to them tonight! They're trespassers that need to be taught a lesson!"

"Sedgestar is very wise," Redclaw meowed, shooting her daughter a sharp look. "He understands that there are times when battle isn't necessary."

"And, besides," Redclaw said, giving Pinepaw's ears an affectionate flick with her tail. "If I know anything about Rabbitstar… having to apologize in front of all of the Clans will be worse for him than any battle!"

Frostpaw purred alongside the three siblings.

"Now go along and have some fun before the leaders hog the whole gathering talking about themselves," Redclaw meowed, her eyes sparkling playfully.

Redclaw padded away, meowing hello to a queen that smelt of ThunderClan.

"I see Damppaw with some RiverClan cats!" Pinepaw meowed, her gaze lighting up. "I'm going to sit with them."

Pinepaw shot a glance back at the other apprentices.

"You two can join me if you want," she said pointedly to Autumnpaw and Poolpaw, ignoring Frostpaw.

"And, listen to Damppaw boast all night about how he's the greatest hunter in the whole forest?" Autumnpaw meowed with a wrinkle of his nose. "No thanks."

Poolpaw snickered, while Pinepaw flicked her tail, giving a sniff.

"Suit yourself," she meowed, padding off into the crowd.

"Let's go find some apprentices to talk to like Redclaw said," Autumnpaw meowed.

Poolpaw nodded in agreement, and Autumnpaw turned to Frostpaw.

"Are you coming?" he meowed.

Frostpaw was still gazing at the big crowd, but she gave her head a shake to snap herself out of it.

"Yeah," she meowed.

Autumnpaw led the way, padding intrepidly into the crowd. Poolpaw followed behind him, with Frostpaw taking the rear. The crowd of cats was dense, however, and soon Frostpaw got separated from the brothers, losing track of Poolpaw's black and white pelt.

Frostpaw's pace slowed, and she hesitantly scented the air, but it was hard to decipher Poolpaw's and Autumnpaw's scents from the scents of so many other cats and clans packed in so closely together. Frostpaw just picked the general direction they were padding in and continued that way, hoping that she'd be able to spot them once she got to an area where the crowd was less dense. Frostpaw brushed around a large tabby, and—

"…May?"

The name was whispered in a shocked, hushed voice. It was so quiet that Frostpaw's ears barely deciphered it among the sounds of so many cats chatting together. But, although the voice had been soft, the familiar word cut Frostpaw down to her heart like an ice-cold claw, sending a chill racing through her body as if she had fallen into a river of freezing water. Frostpaw whipped around towards the voice, and out of the crowd of many cats her gaze fell on a large white tom. He was a few fox-lengths away from her, staring at her with wide green eyes, looking like he just saw a ghost. Their gazes locked together.

"…Who are you?" Frostpaw asked.

Her voice trembled slightly, and she felt her heart hammering in her chest.

The fluffy white tom blinked and gave his head a sharp shake like he was snapping himself out of a trance.

"My mistake," he meowed quickly, looking away from her. "For a moment, I thought you were someone else."

"How do you know that name?" Frostpaw asked.

He voice was hushed, but it reverberated with intensity as she took a step towards him.

The white tom didn't respond. Instead he turned and quickly padded away, into the crowd, his form rapidly getting lost in the sea of pelts. Frostpaw took another step in his direction, about to follow him, when a different voice interrupted her.

"Who were you just talking to?"

Swoopstrike materialized at Frostpaw's side, causing her to jump slightly.

"I—I don't know," she stammered. "I didn't get his name."

Swoopstrike shot her a look from narrowed eyes, but then his gaze flickered from her to the cats around them. Frostpaw and Swoopstrike had drawn the attention of some neighboring WindClan cats, and now they were staring daggers at the mentor and apprentice.

"That's the weird-furred apprentice that was at our border today," a dark tabby WindClan warrior said, in a voice deliberately loud enough to be overheard by Frostpaw.

A few other WindClan cats hissed at them.

"The gathering will be starting soon," Swoopstrike said to Frostpaw, ignoring the WindClan cats besides shooting them a scorching look. "Let's go sit with our Clan. Stay close to me."

Frostpaw nodded.

_I wonder if he wants me to stay close to protect me from the WindClan cats. Or, if he doesn't trust me to not spill ShadowClan secrets like the one about the tunnel…_

Frostpaw followed Swoopstrike through the crowd, over to where ShadowClan was loosely grouped, with some unfamiliar cats from the other clans mixed in. But, Frostpaw couldn't put the white cat out of her mind.

_How does he know my mother's name? Did May know about other Clans besides ShadowClan?_

An image of her mother appeared in Frostpaw's mind. She saw her soft-furred form, her cream colored body, her grey tail and legs, and her grey masked face with a kind expression.

Frostpaw looked down at her feet. She wasn't surprised that the white tom had mistaken her for her mother. She looked just like her. There were some differences of course, like Frostpaw's legs were grey tabby striped instead of solid colored, and she had white toes. And, she knew from the glimpses she could get of her reflection in pools of water that her grey face was also striped and she had a white chin. But, the two of them were clearly kin. Especially considering the fact that it seemed like no other cat in the forest had May's and Frostpaw's coloring.

Frostpaw wished that she could see May again. She was just realizing that she knew almost nothing about her own mother. Frostpaw had no idea where she came from, or how she knew the Clans, or how she knew that white cat.

As she and Swoopstrike approached their clan-mates, Autumnpaw, who was sitting by Poolpaw and Dewpaw, and an apprentice Frostpaw didn't recognize, waved his tail at Frostpaw, gesturing for her to come sit by him. Frostpaw glanced over at Swoopstrike for permission, and he nodded. Frostpaw padded over to her den-mates.

"There you are!" Autumnpaw meowed cheerfully. "You must have gotten lost!"

Frostpaw just nodded, deciding not to say anything about her strange encounter with the white cat just yet, and she took a seat next to Autumnpaw.

"Hello," the unfamiliar brown tabby apprentice meowed from behind Frostpaw as she settled down. "My name is Larchpaw. I'm a SkyClan apprentice."

"I'm Frostpaw. ShadowClan," Frostpaw meowed, turning back to look at her. "This is my first gathering."

"Mine too!" Larchpaw meowed, her tail curling up happily.

She shot Frostpaw a shy look.

"Can I just say your fur is so pretty! How do you only have grey on your face and legs like that?" Larchpaw purred.

Frostpaw felt her fur flush with heat.

"I don't know… I was just born like this I guess," she mumbled.

Frostpaw, her ears still warm, turned to look back forward towards the Great Rock. As she did so, she caught a wave of Larchpaw's scent. She smelt like windblown trees, and Frostpaw was startled to realize that she had picked up a flash of that same scent from the white tom she had spoken to earlier.

Frostpaw was pulled out of her thoughts when Autumnpaw leaned towards her.

"Which one is Rabbitstar?" Autumnpaw whispered to Frostpaw, looking up at the five cats perched on the massive rock that jutted up in the middle of the clearing.

"The ginger furred one," Frostpaw said, her gaze flickering to Rabbitstar.

He stood a little ways away from the other leaders, at the edge of the boulder. Frostpaw's gaze scanned the rest of the cats there. Sedgestar sat right in the middle, two cats on either side of him. Frostpaw thought he looked calm and collected, with his long tail wrapped neatly around his paws and his head held high, cutting a regal figure against the dark sky. To Sedgestar's left, between him and Rabbitstar, was a sleek grey tabby she-cat. To Sedgestar's right were two toms, one a pale brown, and the other a light grey.

Frostpaw's gaze drifted downwards. At the base of the Great Rock sat the deputies. Frostpaw's gaze skimmed over the familiar fur of Grovepelt as she eyed a brown tom, a golden tabby she-cat, a tabby tom, and…

Frostpaw felt a jolt as she spotted the white tom sitting there with the other deputies.

_Is the white cat SkyClan's deputy?_

"I know RiverClan's leader, Willowstar, is a she-cat so she must be the grey tabby next to Sedgestar," Autumnpaw murmured to Frostpaw. "That means ThunderClan's and SkyClan's leaders are on the toms on Sedgestar's other side, but I don't know which one's which."

"ThunderClan's leader, Morningstar, is the grey tom," Dewpaw meowed, overhearing Autumnpaw. "And, SkyClan's leader, Fennelstar is the pale brown one with bushy fur."

"Oh, thanks," Autumnpaw said with a purr of laughter. "I forgot that you've been to a gathering before."

"Who are the deputies?" Frostpaw asked quickly.

"The tabby tom is RiverClan's, Perchpelt. The brown tom, there, is Acornear, from ThunderClan. Then there's Wheatfur from WindClan. She's the golden one. And, the white one is Paledusk from SkyClan," Dewpaw said, rattling off the names quickly, and flicking her tail in the direction of each to indicate as she said their names.

 _Why would the SkyClan deputy know my mother?_ Frostpaw thought, her brow furrowing.

"Paledusk has only been our deputy for a few moons," Larchpaw meowed helpfully from behind Frostpaw. "Robinsong died of green-cough during leafbare, and he was named deputy to replace her."

Frostpaw wanted to ask Larchpaw what else she knew about Paledusk, but her attention was directed back to the Great Rock as there was movement from the leaders. Willowstar had strode forward, raising her tail for attention.

"Cats of the five Clans of the forest," Willowstar meowed in a loud voice. "Tonight is the night of the full-moon. So, let the gathering begin."

Quiet settled over the cats as they waited for their leaders to speak. Willowstar dipped her head courteously to the other leaders.

"Who would like to start?" she asked.

Morningstar was on his paws immediately, his grey-furred tail held high.

"New-leaf has brought bountiful prey to our territory, and ThunderClan is stronger than ever," he announced, with a pointed look at the other leaders, his gaze resting on Rabbitstar and Fennelstar specifically. "We've seen the births of two litters of kits in the past moon, and the making of a new warrior, Rockstorm."

The ThunderClan cats cheered, and there was some mutterings of congratulations for Rockstorm from cats from the other Clans. Frostpaw craned her neck to look at the grey tom for a moment. Autumnpaw leaned close to her.

"Remember how ThunderClan almost died during leaf-bare?" he whispered into her ear. "It sounds like Morningstar is eager to make them sound strong again."

"Yeah, their numbers are still low. They don't even have any apprentices now that Rockstorm's a warrior," Dewpaw added, nodding.

"Ha! Poor Rockstorm. He's left the apprentice's den, but he'll still be changing elders' nests and checking them for ticks!" Poolpaw snickered from behind them.

"That is all I have to report," Morningstar said.

Morningstar stepped back, casting the other leaders another suspicious glance as he did so. Willowstar strode forward, seemingly unbothered by his pointed look.

"The fish are swimming well in RiverClan," the pretty tabby purred in a silky voice. "And, I am pleased to announce that our medicine cat, Pebblestripe, has decided to take on an apprentice. RiverClan welcomes Hailpaw."

Frostpaw looked over to the medicine cats and was surprised to see that the medicine cats from all of the Clans were grouped closely together like old friends.

_I guess they do spend a lot of time together during the half-moon._

Frostpaw assumed that the cat shyly ducking her head over there, a white she-cat with some grey tabby patches, was the new apprentice, Hailpaw. Cats cheered for Hailpaw like they did Rockstorm, but Frostpaw noticed the cheering for Hailpaw was louder, and more cats outside of RiverClan joined in, even some of her clan-mates.

_Is that because she's training to be a medicine cat? Or, is RiverClan just more liked than ThunderClan?_

"Hailpaw will make her first journey to Mothermouth at the next half-moon, where her apprenticeship shall be announced before StarClan," Willowstar finished after the cheering died down, and she returned to her seat, with a flick of her tail to indicate that she was done.

Fennelstar shot Sedgestar a questioning look, and Sedgestar courteously inclined his head towards the SkyClan leader, indicating for Fennelstar to go. Fennelstar rose to his paws, his spiky, bushy fur waving in the slight breeze.

"SkyClan is doing well. There is some two-leg activity on our borders; it appears like they are building more nests," he announced. "But, our prey are still running well. If anything, it's doing better than ever because the two-legs are scaring everything in our direction. So, thank you, two-legs."

There were some purrs of laughter from the cats in the crowd. Frostpaw glanced over and noticed everyone seemed amused besides the ThunderClan cats, who stared up at Fennelstar with stony gazes.

"That's funny. If prey is running so well, then why are your warriors hunting beyond your borders?" Morningstar said, rising to his paws to confront Fennelstar.

Fennelstar turned to look at the ThunderClan leader, blinking at him slowly.

"SkyClan cats are not thieves," Fennelstar meowed. "Have you actually seen any of my warriors in your territory?"

Morningstar shifted uneasily from paw to paw.

"No," he admitted. "But, we can scent you."

Fennelstar shrugged.

"Winds blow the scent-markers all over the place. That doesn't mean cats have been there," Fennelstar said.

The fur down Morningstar's back raised.

"You think I can't tell the difference between trespassing cats and windblown scent markers?!" he hissed, his voice vibrating with outrage.

Fennelstar didn't reply, but he did give an ear twitch which seemed to indicate that was the case. Morningstar gave another hiss, rounding on the SkyClan leader.

Sedgestar rose to his paws, wedging his way in between the two bristling cats.

"Watch your tempers," he said in a low rumbling voice. "It is a Gathering after all."

Sedgestar turned to Fennelstar.

"Have you finished your report?" he asked.

Fennelstar dipped his head to indicate Sedgestar should go. Sedgestar turned to sweep his gaze over the crowd.

"ShadowClan is at the height of our strength," Sedgestar said.

His voice wasn't necessarily loud, but it was still strong, carrying all out through the clearing with a sort of effortless power. Frostpaw noticed her clan-mates were sitting up a bit straighter, their heads were held a bit more proudly, and their eyes shone with moonlight as they looked up at their leader.

"We've made four new apprentices this past moon," Sedgestar said, nodding towards Frostpaw and the others.

Frostpaw felt her pelt prickle uncomfortably as the strange cats from the other Clans turned to stare at them. There were a few murmurs of congratulations, but no cheering. The mood had been soured by Morningstar's confrontation with SkyClan.

"And, we are expecting more kits to be born very soon, so our ranks will continue to swell." Sedgestar continued, but then his voice darkened. "But, speaking of trespassing cats…"

He paused for a moment, and everyone at the gathering watched him intently with bated breath, waiting for whatever came next. Sedgestar turned his head to look at Rabbitstar. The ginger tom met his gaze unflinchingly.

"Just today one of my warriors reported to me that Rabbitstar himself had crossed the border to attempt to attack one of our apprentices, who was simply hunting in our territory," Sedgestar said, his voice turning ice-cold as he stared at the WindClan leader. "I ask the WindClan leader to explain this blatant disrespect for our borders and senseless act of aggression towards ShadowClan, _and_ to apologize for this indiscretion."

"You want _me_ to apologize?!" Rabbitstar said in an incredulous tone.

"I don't 'want' it, I expect it," Sedgestar said with a hint of a snarl in his voice. "You have wronged ShadowClan, and if you want this good nature that's existed between our Clans for moons to continue, you _will_ apologize."

Rabbitstar rose to his paws, baring his teeth at Sedgestar.

"I wouldn't have crossed the border if your apprentice hadn't insulted me. So, _I ask_ the ShadowClan leader to teach their apprentices more respect towards Clan leaders," Rabbitstar spat.

Rabbitstar flicked his tail downwards to indicate Frostpaw in the crowd. Frostpaw froze, feeling her muscles tense up as everyone in the gathering's attention was focused on her.

"That is the apprentice that insulted me," Rabbitstar continued. "Look at her strange fur pattern. She must be the rogue kit that you adopted into your Clan moons ago, Sedgestar, isn't she? Maybe I'd be able to respect your Clan's borders if you didn't pollute it with such trash."

Frostpaw ducked down, her heart hammering. There were a few gasps at Rabbitstar's words from cats in the other Clans, and some jeering from WindClan. Frostpaw heard the sound of furious hissing from behind her. She cast a glance back and saw Redclaw was on her paws, looking like at any moment, she might launch herself up the Great Rock to attack Rabbitstar herself.

Sedgestar raised his tail commandingly for silence, but he didn't wait for it to fall before turning on Rabbitstar, looming over the smaller tom threateningly.

"Unlike your Clan, ShadowClan respects the Warrior Code. This is why we adopted an orphaned kit in need, and it is also what keeps us from traipsing all over and across the border like you do. But, you are right about one thing, Rabbitstar… I _don't_ teach my cats to respect you. Because you are not _worthy_ of my Clan's respect," Sedgestar rumbled. "You are so cowardly that you take out your insecurities about your capabilities as leader on a young apprentice. _Pathetic._ I pity your warriors for having such a weak leader."

Shouts of outrage emerged from WindClan. Frostpaw was jostled as Autumnpaw rose to his feet beside her, turning towards the WindClan cats and bristling out his fur. Frostpaw looked around in shock. ShadowClan and WindClan were both rising to their paws, teeth and claws bared, fangs flashing. Sedgestar's amber eyes glinted threateningly in the moonlight, but he barreled on with his speech before Rabbitstar had a chance to respond, leaning in close to the ginger tom.

"But, so be it. If it's your desire for our Clans to be enemies, then it is done," Sedgestar growled. "I hope you sleep well at night, Rabbitstar. There is no need to keep watch. You won't see us coming either way."

Frostpaw blinked. Strangely, it seemed like the night was getting darker, as if the leader of ShadowClan's words had somehow summoned the shadows themselves.

"ShadowClan, we're done here," Sedgestar said, bounding off the Great Rock and into the crowd of his clan-mates.

Frostpaw hastily rose to her feet, feeling her pelt jostled on every side as ShadowClan grouped tightly together around their leader, quickly pulling away from any cats of other clans in their midst. Moving as one, ShadowClan bounded out of the clearing, scaling the hills that surrounded the hollow. At the crest of the hill, Frostpaw cast a final glance over her shoulder. The four other Clans remained down in the clearing. She saw the dark silhouettes of the leaders on top of the Great Rock, and the deputies crouched at the foot of it. Her gaze lingered on the SkyClan deputy, Paledusk. His white coat seemed to glow in the dim light, almost acting as a beacon for her gaze. After a heartbeat, Frostpaw looked away and her eyes drifted upwards from him to the sky. A narrow cloud slashed across the full moon like a claw, casting the shadow of darkness over the forest.

With a final glance at the moon, Frostpaw turned, and ShadowClan vanished into the forest.


	8. Preparations

ShadowClan buzzed with anticipation in the days following the gathering. Sedgestar had near constant patrols on the WindClan border so that every tree there strongly held the mark of ShadowClan. But, it seemed like WindClan wasn't going to take the blatant signs of ShadowClan aggression lying down, and they responded with increased border patrols of their own. But, besides a few minor scraps between the ShadowClan and WindClan border patrols, the threat of battle remained on the future's horizon, looming like a storm.

Grovepelt ordered that all of the apprentices get as much battle training as possible before the inevitable clash, and so for the seventh day in a row, Frostpaw found herself trailing after Swoopstrike, along with Pinepaw, Poolpaw, Autumnpaw, and their mentors, heading towards the Burnt Sycamore.

"I can't wait to tear WindClan to shreds!" Pinepaw growled, her black fur bushed out in excitement.

"Did you see how puny they looked at the gathering?" Poolpaw asked, swatting at the air in front of him like he was fighting an invisible WindClan warrior. "I've caught squirrels bigger than them!"

"They're going to regret ever messing with ShadowClan!" Autumnpaw declared, dashing ahead from the rest of the group to be the first to enter the clearing around the Burnt Sycamore.

Poolpaw and Pinepaw were hot on his paws, but Frostpaw followed her den-mates much more slowly, hanging back with the group of mentors.

She didn't understand why they were so excited. Her stomach clenched in anxiety as she thought of the coming battle. All she could think about was her or one of her clan-mates getting hurt or killed, and she didn't see how that was something to be eager about. Frostpaw lingered at the edge of the clearing, watching the three siblings pounce about with each other.

"Not as excited as the other apprentices, huh?" Grovepelt asked Frostpaw, startling her slightly.

She blinked up at the deputy. The senior warrior looked down at her with a kind expression on his greyed, grizzled face, and Frostpaw felt a bit more at ease.

"No, I guess not," she meowed, looking back out at the tussling apprentices.

"Why?" Swoopstrike broke in with a harsh voice. "The duty of a warrior is to fight for their clan. You should be honored to battle for ShadowClan."

Frostpaw flinched, her ears flattening.

"I never said I wouldn't fight," she protested. "I—I'm just worried about anyone getting hurt."

Swoopstrike gave a derisive snort.

"Being nervous isn't a crime," Grovepelt said in a patient voice, giving Swoopstrike a pointed look.

The deputy turned to Frostpaw.

"I find, the older I get, the more worried I become before every battle," Grovepelt meowed.

"When I was a new apprentice, I was just like them." Grovepelt nodded towards the other apprentices. "Excited to fight. To prove myself. To stand up for my clan and family."

One of his ears twitched back slightly.

"In many ways, I'm still like that. I still will fight to protect my clan. But, that reckless sense of invulnerability I had as a young cat is gone."

A somber look crept across the deputy's face.

"I've seen too many friends and family pass on from this world to still feel that way," he said. "It becomes harder to sharpen your claws before battle when you can't help but wonder what friend won't be coming home afterwards."

Frostpaw gazed at Grovepelt's weathered face with a quiet sense of fear and wonder.

_How many battles has he seen? How many friends has he lost? Did he once have a mate? Kits? Where are they now? …What happened to them?_

Grovepelt's gaze slid over to Frostpaw, and he looked at her out of the corner of his eyes.

"You are still a young cat," he meowed. "But, you have experienced much more tragedy in your life than you den-mates. That's why you understand that you are not invulnerable. And, knowing that is nothing to be ashamed of. Although it does make it harder to charge into battle… when you know fully well that you can die. So, you must be braver than them."

Grovepelt nodded towards Pinepaw, Poolpaw, and Autumnpaw.

"Because they don't understand," Grovepelt said in a quiet voice. "Or, at least, not yet."

Grovepelt strode forward without another word into the training clearing.

"Stop rolling around like kits," Grovepelt said loudly, interrupting the sibling's tussle. "Battles are not a game!"

Grovepelt turned towards Frostpaw, flicking his tail at her.

"Come here. We will be doing paired fights before practicing more specific battle techniques," he meowed. "We will start with Poolpaw and Frostpaw. And, Autumnpaw and Pinepaw."

Frostpaw slowly padded over to the rest of the group, taking her place next to Poolpaw. Poolpaw squared himself up to her, fluffing out his black and white coat.

"Ready? Begin!"

The apprentices practiced fighting all morning. Frostpaw was pleased that she was able to hold her own against the slightly larger Poolpaw, but she grew a bit more nervous when around mid-morning, they switched partners, and she was paired with Pinepaw.

_StarClan, why couldn't I have gotten Autumnpaw instead…_

The black she-cat narrowed her amber eyes at Frostpaw. Pinepaw was smaller than Poolpaw, making her and Frostpaw about the same size, although Frostpaw's longer coat gave an illusion of bulk. But, while Pinepaw didn't have size on Frostpaw, Frostpaw knew she did have a burning desire to beat her into the dust.

"I'm not going to go as easy on you as Poolpaw did, Dirtface," Pinepaw snarled in a soft voice so the mentors couldn't overhear.

Frostpaw narrowed her eyes at Pinepaw, but didn't reply.

"First apprentice to pin the other wins," Grovepelt announced to the group. "Remember, WindClan cats are small, but fast. They are most dangerous when they have the space to move around. In closer quarters though, we can easily overpower them. Keep these techniques in mind as you practice."

Frostpaw nodded. She shifted from paw to paw. Her muscles were already aching from all the wrestling with Poolpaw, but she knew she couldn't battle Pinepaw without putting up a good fight, or she'd never hear the end of it from the annoying furball.

"Begin!"

Pinepaw sprung at Frostpaw like a coiled snake. Rather than dodging her pounce, Frostpaw faced it and rolled with her as Pinepaw barreled into her chest, electing a squeak of surprise from Pinepaw at the unexpected lack of resistance.

"Come on, Frostpaw, put up a fight!" Swoopstrike snarled from the sidelines as the two of them went tumbling.

"I said _not_ to get yourself caught," Grovepelt's disapproving voice added.

Frostpaw ignored them as she and Pinepaw tumbled head over tail with the momentum from Pinepaw's spring. Frostpaw wrapped her paws around Pinepaw's shoulders, and as Frostpaw rolled back to the top of the tumble, she suddenly locked her muscles, digging her hindpaws into the soft, marshy ground. She jerkily halted the somersault and shoved her forepaws hard into Pinepaw's shoulders to pin the wiggling apprentice to the ground.

Frostpaw felt a surge of satisfaction as she stood over Pinepaw.

"…Frostpaw wins!" Grovepelt's pleasantly surprised voice said as Frostpaw felt Pinepaw violently jerk under her paws, ripping herself from Frostpaw's grasp.

Pinepaw scrambled back to her paws and sprung at Frostpaw with a snarl, her paws flashing with blows. Frostpaw ducked, her ears stinging as Pinepaw's paws swiped them.

"Stop that! Did you hear? Frostpaw won!" Frostpaw heard Swoopstrike snap.

"It's alright, Swoopstrike," Frostpaw heard Grovepelt reply. "Let's see how this turns out."

Frostpaw set her jaw.

_Fine. Pinepaw wants a rematch, so I'll give her one._

Frostpaw sprung out of Pinepaw's reach, dodging back towards the Burnt Sycamore to give herself a moment to breathe, but Pinepaw was relentless, following Frostpaw. Frostpaw swiped at paw at Pinepaw's muzzle, but the she cat dodged and retaliated with a sweeping lash of her forepaws, knocking Frostpaw's legs out from under her.

"Oomph!" Frostpaw's breath was knocked out of her as she hit the ground, but she quickly scrambled back to her paws.

Frostpaw saw Pinepaw crouching, preparing to leap on to her and pin her to the ground. Frostpaw's gaze quickly flashed as she looked around for an escape route. Her eyes settled on the old knobby branch several tail lengths above her head. And, as Pinepaw leapt, so did Frostpaw. Frostpaw slightly startled herself with the height of her leap upwards as she easily sprung onto the branch of the tree, digging her claws into the old, burnt bark for purchase.

Pinepaw gaped up at Frostpaw, her brow furrowing.

"Hey! That's cheatin—ow!"

Pinepaw was cut off as Frostpaw dropped back down on her from the tree and the two of them went tumbling again. Frostpaw nipped at Pinepaw's paw as they rolled, and she could feel Pinepaw batting at her belly with her paws. Frostpaw twisted, trying to escape Pinepaw's grasp, but the she-cat had twisted her paws deep into Frostpaw's long fur and dug in tight.

Frostpaw gasped as Pinepaw yanked on her fur, her skin stinging from the tug. With a final powerful surge, Frostpaw managed to yank herself free, although she left a few clumps of fur behind in Pinepaw's paws.

With an annoyed growl at her burning pelt, Frostpaw darted forward to swipe at Pinepaw's ears, but she ducked. Frostpaw quickly retaliated with another downward strike on Pinepaw's head, but the blow was grazing. Pinepaw snapped at Frostpaw's ankle as she pulled her paw back away.

Frostpaw's gaze slid around Pinepaw and her eyes narrowed as she noticed she and Pinepaw had switched positions, so now the other apprentice was closer to the Burnt Sycamore.

_I can limit her attacks if I trap her against the roots._

Frostpaw flashed forward with a snarl, swiping a paw at Pinepaw's face. Pinepaw flinched backwards to dodge, and Frostpaw followed her, pressing her relentlessly to herd her towards the Burnt Sycamore. Pinepaw let out a quiet squeak of surprise when she went to take another step back and her hindquarters bumped the twisted roots of the tree.

 _I've got her!_ Frostpaw thought, flashing forward again with another blow.

But, to her surprise, Pinepaw wasn't going to give in that easily, and the black-furred she-cat made a wild leap at Frostpaw, bowling her over. Frostpaw gasped in pain as Pinepaw kicked her stomach as they flailed and tumbled. But, it was Pinepaw who ended up on top this time, shoving Frostpaw to the ground with a growl.

"I win," Pinepaw snarled.

"That's enough," Grovepelt's voice rang out.

Pinepaw loosened her grip, and Frostpaw quickly shrugged Pinepaw off of her, pulling herself back to her paws. Frostpaw and Pinepaw stumbled away from each other, both panting. Frostpaw eyed her opponent, making sure that she wasn't going to spring at her again.

Grovepelt padded up to the two of them. He nodded approvingly at Frostpaw.

"Well done with that first round, Frostpaw, and with thinking about leaping onto the tree. A good surprise can often be the best attack. I expect one day you'll be expert at our shadow ambushes," Grovepelt meowed.

Frostpaw felt her chest puff out in pride at the comment, her stinging pelt from her yanked fur fading from her mind.

"Although your strikes need some work. They are messy, like you're indecisive about where to hit. Strike with conviction, don't hesitate," Grovepelt added.

Frostpaw dipped her head to the deputy.

"Yes, Grovepelt," she meowed.

Grovepelt turned to Pinepaw.

"You have a lot of spirit, and you never give up, which is a brilliant trait in a warrior," he said. "But, you need to learn to be more observant of both your surrounds and your enemy. Frostpaw used her environment to her advantage, and that is a vital component to winning a battle. And, as for observing your enemy, if you can gauge your enemy's attacks then you can guess what they will do next. Watch their eyes. Where their gazes go often betray their thoughts."

Pinepaw dipped her head.

"Yes, Grovepelt," she mumbled, tail-tip twitching.

"You've all done very well," Grovepelt said, raising his voice and turning towards Autumnpaw and Poolpaw, who had also stopped practice fighting to address them too. "We will head back to camp and take a break for now. See to it that Snakeeyes and Amberberry are fed, as well as the elders, then get some fresh-kill for yourselves. You all deserve it."

Swoopstrike approached Frostpaw as Grovepelt headed off in the direction of camp.

"We'll practice your strikes together this afternoon," Swoopstrike grumbled. "But... good job."

"Thank you," Frostpaw said, her tail curling up slightly.

Swoopstrike gave a curt nod and strode away after Grovepelt.

Autumnpaw bounded up to Pinepaw and Frostpaw, his amber eyes excited.

"Did you see me shove Poolpaw's muzzle into the ground?" Autumnpaw meowed, snickering. "I think he swallowed some mud!"

Pinepaw just huffed instead of replying, shoving past the two of them and striding off after Poolpaw and the mentors in the direction of camp. Frostpaw flinched as Pinepaw slapped her face with her tail as she walked by her.

"No, I missed it," Frostpaw said to Autumnpaw as the two of them padded off after them, making up the rear of the patrol.

But, Autumnpaw didn't seem to be listening to her. He was watching Pinepaw stride away from them with a furrowed brow.

"Hey, what's got your fur in a twist!" Autumnpaw meowed to her back.

Pinepaw shot them a scorching look from over her shoulder.

"That _rogue,"_ Pinepaw hissed. "Embarrassed me in front of Grovepelt!"

Frostpaw's ears flattened.

"What are you talking about?" Frostpaw argued. "You won the last round!"

Pinepaw just snarled instead of replying.

"Yeah," Autumnpaw chimed in. "I heard him say that you both did good jobs! He complimented you!"

Pinepaw stopped walking, turning to hiss at the two of them, baring her fangs.

"How dare you defend her! You don't understand!" Pinepaw spat. "Grovepelt is the deputy _and_ my mentor. I have to impress him! But, instead I let myself be beaten by _a rogue_! How is that not embarrassing?! What is he going to think of me now!"

"Stop calling her that," Autumnpaw snapped, the dark ginger fur down his back prickling in irritation.

"I'm not a rogue," Frostpaw growled quietly, breaking in. "I've lived in ShadowClan almost as long as you. And, I've been training exactly as long as you have! Why would you expect to be a better fighter than me?"

Pinepaw just growled in response to her question.

"Just because you live here now, doesn't make you one of us," she spat.

Pinepaw whirled around and ran off into the forest.

It was close to sun-high by the time Autumnpaw and Frostpaw made it back to camp. The rest of their group had arrived a little before them, and Poolpaw trotted up to Autumnpaw and Frostpaw with two frogs in his jaws.

"Pinepaw and I have the elders if you two want to take the nursery," Poolpaw mumbled around the fresh-kill in his mouth. "It's probably for the best if we split up. I don't know what happened, but the way Pinepaw looks right now, she'll kill you both if she sees you."

"The nursery is fine with me," Autumnpaw meowed with a twitch of his tail.

Autumnpaw and Frostpaw headed to the fresh-kill pile. He grabbed a squirrel and Frostpaw picked up two mice before the two of them padded over to the thorn bush that sheltered the nursery. As they padded towards the entrance, they had to dodge back as Rowanheart brushed his way out, emerging suddenly from the den.

"Are those for the queens?" he asked.

Frostpaw and Autumnpaw nodded, mouths too full to speak.

"Great!" Rowanheart said, his eyes lighting up. "Snakeeyes just had our kits this morning! I bet she's starving! Let's go in! I'll show you them!"

Frostpaw's irritation towards Pinepaw faded some in the face of Rowanheart's clear joy about his new family. Frostpaw purred and followed Rowanheart into the den.

Rowanheart led the way towards Snakeeyes' nest. The white-furred queen was curled up, evidently sleeping, but she stirred as her mate approached.

"Back so soon?" she murmured in a playful voice. "I thought you had patrols to be on. Or, is Sedgestar giving you the day off in honor of the birth of his grandkits?"

"I'm heading off soon," Rowanheart said with a purr, gently head-butting his mate's side. "But, I ran into these apprentices with fresh-kill, and I wanted to show them our kits!"

Frostpaw padded up to Snakeeyes, dropping the mice she was caring at her paws. Snakeeyes' blue and green gaze flickered to Frostpaw.

"Hello, Frostpaw," she said with a friendly blink. "Thank you for the mice. Would you like to see the kits?"

"Yes," Frostpaw purred.

Snakeeyes moved her tail, revealing three tiny kits at her belly. Frostpaw purred happily at the sight of the cute, healthy kittens.

"This is Featherkit," Snakeeyes said, gently laying a paw on a fluffy tortoiseshell she-kit.

"That's Yewkit," Rowanheart said, leaning over to rasp his tongue over a silver striped tom.

"And, this is Lizardkit," Snakeeyes purred, touching her last kit, an all white tom.

"They are very cute!" Frostpaw purred.

"Maybe we can be their mentors when they become apprentices!" Autumnpaw said excitedly, padding over to Frostpaw to gaze down at the new-born kits after delivering the fresh-kill he brought to Amberberry.

"But, why would Sedgestar pick us?" Frostpaw asked. "When they are made apprentices, we'll have been warriors for less than a moon!"

Autumnpaw nudged Frostpaw's shoulder with his muzzle.

"Don't be such a downer!" Autumnpaw teased. "We can always hope!"

Frostpaw and Autumnpaw left the nursery after the fresh-kill had been delivered to the queens, although Rowanheart lingered behind, evidently reluctant to leave his mate and kits again and head out on that patrol.

As Frostpaw and Autumnpaw headed back towards the fresh-kill pile to grab some food for themselves, Frostpaw found her mind stuck on Snakeeyes, Rowanheart and their kits. Seeing the little family together, Frostpaw couldn't help but thinking about her own mother. And, the mystery of how Paledusk knew her.

_I remember when I was a tiny kit, May was living on her own. While she was living like that, there's no reason to think that she didn't bump into clan cats like Paledusk from time to time._

But, Frostpaw remembered the way Paledusk looked at her. It wasn't just a look of surprise at seeing an old friend or acquaintance. He looked at her like he had just seen someone come back from the dead.

Frostpaw wasn't stupid, and knew there was another option. The reason that he was so shocked. She had never met her father, and had always assumed him to be another rogue… but just maybe…

Frostpaw shook her head.

_But, if Paledusk is my father, then why am I in ShadowClan? Why wouldn't I be in SkyClan with him? May would've went to him when she needed help._

It didn't make any sense. In the faint memories Frostpaw had of when May talked about her father, her words were always fond. If May had been able to take Frostpaw to him, why wouldn't she?

Frostpaw's tail twitched anxiously.

_Maybe he didn't know about me? Did May not tell him?_

Frostpaw clenched her jaw.

_Would May do that?_

Frostpaw wanted to wail in frustration.

An image of May appeared in Frostpaw's mind.

It was true that Frostpaw hadn't known her mother long, but she always had loved her fiercely, and when they had been together, Frostpaw had felt like she could unequivocally rely on her. But, now Frostpaw felt betrayed. Her mother had died and left her here alone. And, not only that, she had left her with this mystery hanging over her head. What if Paledusk was her father? Frostpaw had enough problems trying to get her clan-mates to trust her without having to worry about them thinking she would betray them to Paledusk and SkyClan at a twitch of a whisker.

Frostpaw imagined confronting her mother.

 _"Why did you do this to me?"_ Frostpaw hissed in her mind at May.

The image of May in her head just gazed at Frostpaw with sad blue eyes.

"Are you alright?" Autumnpaw's meow cut through Frostpaw's thoughts.

They had reached the fresh-kill pile, and Frostpaw realized that she had been digging her claws into the marshy ground. Frostpaw shook her head, shaking off her thoughts like clinging cobwebs.

_I have no reason to worry about Paledusk. There's no proof about anything. Getting myself worked up about it is just frog-brained._

"Yeah, sorry. Just thinking about WindClan," Frostpaw mumbled the lie.

She couldn't risk telling Autumnpaw her real thoughts. What if he found out that May and Paledusk knew each other, and then he became suspicious of Frostpaw? Autumnpaw was her only true friend in the Clan; Frostpaw couldn't lose him.

Autumnpaw blinked at her sympathetically.

"Don't worry. Once we're through with those rabbit-brains, they'll be so scared of ShadowClan that they won't ever bother you again," Autumnpaw said, giving a quiet growl.

Frostpaw nodded along with his words, although she wasn't sure that hostile WindClan was the biggest of her problems. Frostpaw chose a mouse to eat, and Autumnpaw picked a lizard for himself. They carried their food over to the edge of the camp and settled down to eat on one of the more grassy patches in the camp to keep their fur from getting too damp from the marshy ground. Frostpaw tried to keep her thoughts off of May and Paledusk as she ate, not wanting Autumnpaw to question her on her emotions again. She was soon properly distracted when Autumnpaw flicked his tail to draw her attention to Grovepelt and Sedgestar. The leader and deputy had just emerged from Sedgestar's den beneath the Oak Tree, and their heads were bent closely together in earnest conversation. Sedgestar finished the discussion with a firm nod to Grovepelt before turning and bounding up the side of Clanrock while Grovepelt settled at the base.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey, gathering beneath Clanrock for a Clan meeting!" Sedgestar yowled, settling down on the boulder.

Frostpaw's ears twitched up in interest, and she rose from her crouched position over her half-eaten mouse to gaze up at ShadowClan's leader. Frostpaw saw the moss covering the medicine cats' den at the base of Clanrock sway as Clearstream and Elmclaw pushed their way out of it, settling down in the clearing. The rest of their clan-mates followed, appearing out of dens or looking up from sharing tongues or prey. Rowanheart emerged from the nursery, taking a seat a few tail-lengths away from its entrance. Frostpaw spotted Pinepaw and Poolpaw appearing from the elders' den, followed by the elders themselves.

Frostpaw noticed that there were a few warriors missing from camp who must be out on patrol, but most of the cats were in camp. Sun-high was ShadowClan's least favorite time to be out of camp. It was when the day was the brightest and the hottest, so they much preferred to nap, eat, and share-tongues, saving their energy for late night patrols and hunts. But, Frostpaw figured with the increased patrolling on the WindClan border, Sedgestar had cats out even at sun-high.

Sedgestar's short fur ruffled in the cool breeze that blew through the ShadowClan camp as he gazed down at his clan-mates from Clanrock.

"As you all know, WindClan grows more aggressive on our borders each passing day," Sedgestar said. "The time is approaching for our attack. We cannot wait much longer and potentially give them the chance to strike first."

ShadowClan yowled their agreement, some cats leaping to their paws in eagerness. Sedgestar waved his tail for silence.

"I've been in close discussion with Grovepelt, Clearstream, Elmclaw and some of our clan's senior warriors, and we've come up with a plan. We will wait for the next cloudy night, when there are no moon or stars to see by, and then we will strike," he said. "First, we will launch an attack on their camp. _But,_ I want no WindClan nursing queens, kits, elders or medicine cats to be harmed, understood? Don't go into those dens. We are teaching WindClan a lesson about who is the stronger clan, not seeking to harm innocents."

There were nods and murmurs of agreement.

"We won't linger in their camp long. After we attack the camp and give them a good scuffle, I want to raid their fresh-kill pile. We'll grab as much food as we can carry and run back to our border. I expect WindClan will be incensed, and they will follow us there. But, that's where we will have a second patrol waiting, where we will ambush them again," Sedgestar finished.

"Who's going to be on the camp attacking patrol?" Thornheart called out, his tail held high in excitement.

"I will assign cats when the night comes," Sedgestar said, his amber eyes gleaming in the sun-light. "For the next few days, everyone keep up duties as normal, and make sure you are getting plenty of fresh-kill and rest. I want everyone in prime shape when the time is right."


	9. The Ambush

"Today's the day I think," Autumnpaw said, his voice hushed but excited, and his amber gaze flickering up towards the overcast sky.

Frostpaw followed his gaze upwards towards the grey sky, wondering if Autumnpaw was right and the cloud cover would hold into the night, or if the battle would be put off again. It had been three sunrises since Sedgestar's announcement, and until now, the days and nights had been clear. But, today the sky had been dark with clouds since morning, with rain drizzling on and off. Now, as best Frostpaw could guess, it must be around sun-high, but the clouds still stretched from horizon to horizon, without a patch of blue to be seen.

"Maybe," Frostpaw murmured in response, her tail tip twitching nervously as she thought of the impending battle.

"I bet Sedgestar makes an announcement soon," Autumnpaw said, bending his head down to tear a chunk out of the lizard he was eating.

"So the cats chosen to fight can get ready," he continued, mumbling around the meat in his mouth.

Frostpaw looked down at the half-eaten startling at her paws, suddenly not feeling as hungry any more.

"Hey," Autumnpaw said, nudging her shoulder with his muzzle. "Stop looking so concerned! It'll be fine! First of all, we have way more cats than WindClan. Second: it's WindClan! They're small and weak and cowardly. The battle will be a breeze."

Frostpaw just nodded instead of replying, bending her head down, she forced herself to eat the rest of her meal.

* * *

"There is tale of a terrible disease," Greytail rasped, blinking her old watery eyes at Autumnpaw and Frostpaw, who listened raptly as they patted the clean moss, pine needles, and feathers that they brought into the elders' den into fresh nests. "That takes root in a cat's mind and drives them mad."

Autumnpaw and Frostpaw finished arranging the moss, but instead of leaving since their chore was finished, they settled down, watching Greytail intently as she began the story.

"Many, many moons ago, there was a ShadowClan warrior that, through a terrible accident, became faceless. That same accident that ruined his face also introduced the disease that ruined his mind," Greytail murmured, sweeping a gaze over the apprentices which was frighteningly intense. "And, thus began the most terrifying period of ShadowClan history. One of our own warriors, turned against his clan-mates, against all cats! He did unspeakable horrors to ShadowClan, and the rivers of blood that soaked the ground during those moons can still be felt to this day on cold leaf-bare nights. When you are hunting alone in the pines, you can feel it sticking to your paws… And, you can almost feel his cold, predatory gaze watching you—"

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather beneath Clanrock for a Clan meeting!" Sedgestar's words rang out through the camp, echoing into the elder's den.

Frostpaw jumped in fright at the sudden sound of the leader's voice, torn from the elder's story and back into reality. Autumnpaw's head snapped up, and he gasped.

"It must be about the battle with WindClan!" he said, his eyes alight with excitement, springing to his paws.

"You two young-uns better get going then," Greytail said with a rough purr. "I'll finish the tale about the faceless cat another time."

"Thanks Greytail!" Autumnpaw said, waving his tail at her in goodbye as he left the den. "Frostpaw, come on!"

Frostpaw rose to her paws and with a quick nod to Greytail, she followed Autumnpaw outside.

Autumnpaw and Frostpaw sat down a few tail-lengths away from the entrance to the elders' den. Frostpaw gazed up at Sedgestar as he waited for everyone to settle in before beginning his announcement.

Sedgestar cleared his throat.

"The cloud cover seems to be holding through the day," he began. "If it continues through the night, it will be perfect conditions for our battle. If it turns out that the clouds lift before sundown, I will reevaluate, but for now, we will continue on as if tonight is the night we fight."

There were excited shouts at Sedgestar's words, and he nodded his head with a pleased expression.

"I will now assign cats to the battle patrols. I will be leading the patrol which attacks the WindClan camp. With me, I will take Emberflower, Kestrelmoon, Fogfur, Marshnose, Thornheart, Damppaw, and Dewpaw."

"Darkpelt will lead the patrol that ambushes WindClan at the border. He will take Dustleap, Larkfoot, Weaseltail, Beeclaw, Swoopstrike, Pinepaw, Poolpaw, Autumnpaw, and Frostpaw."

Frostpaw felt her stomach flip as Sedgestar said her name.

"Grovepelt will remain here and be in charge until I return. The rest of the warriors, Rowanheart, Redclaw, Hootflight, Dawntail, Dappledpelt, and Leafbreeze are to remain in camp as well. Guard the kits and elders from possible WindClan retaliation. Although I anticipate that they will be too busy with us to make it here."

More eager shouts and snarls met Sedgestar's words. He waved his tail to silence them and carried on.

"Those named to be on the battle patrols be sure to rest and eat. We will leave camp just after sundown. This meeting is adjourned, but cats in my patrol, come see me to discuss our attack plans, and cats in Darkpelt's patrol, go see him."

Sedgestar bounded off of Clanrock to take a seat at its base, where the cats in his patrol padded over to meet him. Darkpelt headed over to the other side of camp, closer to the thorn tunnel. Autumnpaw and Frostpaw met up with Poolpaw and Pinepaw on their way over to Darkpelt.

"Why do we have to be on the ambush patrol?" Poolpaw complained, his tail drooping as they padded over to where their patrol was gathering. "I want to attack the WindClan camp with Fogfur! Why were Damppaw and Dewpaw chosen but not us?"

"Because they have been training for like five moons more than we have, frog-brain!" Pinepaw snapped at Poolpaw. "And, Damppaw is a way better fighter than you anyway!"

Poolpaw's brow furrowed.

"Nuh-uh. Damppaw just _thinks_ his a brilliant fighter. But, I bet I could take him," Poolpaw sniffed.

"Stop your complaining," a voice snapped.

Poolpaw jumped as Swoopstrike appeared near the apprentices, evidently having overheard their conversation.

"You should just be happy that Sedgestar decided to pick you at all instead of leaving you at camp," Swoopstrike said, narrowing his eyes at Poolpaw. "So, keep your jaws shut."

"Yes, Swoopstrike," Poolpaw muttered.

With an irritable tail-twitch, the warrior stalked off, taking a seat next to Darkpelt. Darkpelt waited for everyone to gather close before he began.

"We will lay the ambush just beyond the tree-line, a little across the border, in WindClan territory," the broad shouldered warrior rumbled in a deep voice, wasting no time with small talk.

The black tom scored a single claw across the dirt in front of him. Frostpaw peered at the line in the dirt curiously.

"This is the border," Darkpelt explained, nodding at the line when he glanced over and noticed Frostpaw's furrowed brow.

"We will disguise our scents and then hide ourselves in the tall moor grass and wait for Sedgestar's patrol to lure WindClan over," Darkpelt continued. "Our patrol will be split into two flanks…"

Darkpelt looked around at the ground surrounding him and picked out two small pebbles from the dirt. Darkpelt placed the pebbles on one side on the line with a paw-length's distance between the two.

"These two pebbles are our two groups hidden on the WindClan side of the border. We will leave some distance between our groups," he explained. "Does anyone see a twig anywhere?"

Poolpaw found a stick next to him and tossed it to Darkpelt.

"Thanks," Darkpelt said, batting the twig to the opposite side of the line that the pebbles were on, positioning it so it was aligned with the gap between the two pebbles.

"Do you all know where the fallen tree is on the tree-line? That tree will be in the gap between where our two groups are located," Darkpelt said. "Sedgestar's patrol will come running over across the moor, and run straight for that fallen tree, going in between where our groups are hidden to get there. WindClan will be chasing them, so they will follow them to the fallen tree by running between our two patrols."

Darkpelt dragged a claw slowly across the ground, perpendicular to the first line he drew. He dragged his claw in between the two pebbles, across the border line, and to the twig, where he stopped.

"But, once the last WindClan cat makes it through the passage between our patrols, I will yowl the signal to attack. At that point, Sedgestar's patrol will turn to fight WindClan. Our groups will then flank WindClan and attack them from both sides and from behind, cutting off their route of escape back into their own territory," Darkpelt said, shoving the pebbles towards the twig with his paw. "And with Sedgestar's patrol fighting from the front, the WindClan patrol will be completely encircled."

Darkpelt paused, looking up from the pebbles and lines he drew on the ground to scan the faces of the cats around him. Frostpaw's eyes were wide as she tried to visualize the layout of the battle that he was proposing.

_I didn't realize battles involved so much planning…_

"Any questions?" Darkpelt asked.

"Who will be in what group?" Weaseltail asked.

"Larkfoot, Beeclaw, Poolpaw, and Autumnpaw can be with me," Darkpelt meowed. "And, Weaseltail, Dustleap, Swoopstrike, Frostpaw and Pinepaw can be the other group."

Darkpelt turned to look at the group of apprentices.

"I know you four haven't been training long, but Sedgestar thinks this'll be a good opportunity for you all to get your first tastes of battle," Darkpelt said in his rumbling voice. "However, that doesn't mean that you need to take unnecessary risks. We have the numbers on WindClan, so there is no need for any of you to fight alone. Poolpaw and Autumnpaw are to stay close to each other. Beeclaw will be responsible for keeping an eye on you both. And, Frostpaw and Pinepaw will be paired and will be watched by Swoopstrike. Understood?"

Frostpaw and the other apprentices nodded. Frostpaw shot a look at Pinepaw out of the corner of her eye, her gaze uncertain. Would Pinepaw really have her back in the battle? Frostpaw wasn't sure that Pinepaw would disobey direct orders from Darkpelt, and indirectly, Sedgestar himself, but the she-cat did seem to detest Frostpaw an awful lot. Pinepaw's expression was unreadable as she gazed up at Darkpelt, and Frostpaw looked away.

"Good," Darkpelt said. "That's all. Now rest and eat like Sedgestar said. We'll meet back here in the middle of camp at sundown."

As the group dispersed, Redclaw and Weaseltail padded up to the group of apprentices.

"Remember your training and look out for each other," Redclaw said, bending her head to nose Poolpaw's fluffy black and white side a little roughly.

"We will Redclaw," Poolpaw huffed, a bit of exasperation in his voice as he shied away from his mother.

"We've been training non-stop for days for this," Autumnpaw added.

"Yeah, we can beat WindClan. No problem," Pinepaw meowed, raising her chin.

Redclaw nodded.

"Good," she said a bit curtly. "Go on and eat then. Good luck to all of you."

Autumnpaw, Pinepaw, and Poolpaw headed off for the fresh-kill pile, chattering together excitedly about the battle, but Frostpaw lingered near Redclaw and Weaseltail. Frostpaw saw that Redclaw was watching her kits walk away from her with a slightly pained gaze. Frostpaw studied her eyes. She got the sense that deep down Redclaw wished that they hadn't been chosen to fight, but she wouldn't admit it out loud.

_Because Redclaw must know that she can't stop her kits from growing up and facing the dangers of the world._

Frostpaw's tail drooped slightly, her thoughts turning to May.

_May wasn't even around long enough to have this conflict with me._

Frostpaw hesitantly padded over to Redclaw's side. Redclaw's ears pricked in surprise as Frostpaw gave a soft, comforting purr and rubbed the length of her body along the warrior's.

"Everything will be okay, Redclaw," Frostpaw meowed in a quiet voice.

Redclaw blinked big green eyes that welled with sudden emotion at Frostpaw.

"Thank you, Frostpaw. You always were my sweet one," Redclaw murmured, gently touching her nose to Frostpaw's ear. "You should go eat too though. I'll be fine."

Frostpaw nodded and padded off to join the others. As she walked away, she heard Weaseltail murmur to Redclaw from behind her.

"I'll watch out for them," he said.

"I know you will," Redclaw whispered in reply, giving a small sigh.

The rest of the day passed in a blur for Frostpaw. It was one of the least eventful that she'd had since she began training. After Sedgestar's announcement she ate, then she slept.

She hadn't thought she'd be able to rest when she first curled up in her nest, with the incoming battle looming over her, but, strangely, Frostpaw didn't feel the whole stress of it yet. She figured that the reality of the situation must not have fully set in. And, so as soon as her eyes shut, sleep rolled over her like a dark wave.

When she awoke, it was nearing sundown. Frostpaw silently groomed herself in her nest; she and Dewpaw, who was still sleeping, were the only apprentices left in the den. After Frostpaw's pelt had been flattened to her liking, she padded out of the apprentices' den, and headed to a puddle at the edge of the camp to lap up some water that had collected from the rainfall today. It wasn't raining now, but the sky was still cloudy as it was earlier, albeit darker, since the sun must now be sinking towards the horizon.

Frostpaw raised her head, licking the last of the cool water droplets from her lips. An unusual amount of cats were milling around camp for the time of day. The cats chosen by Sedgestar to stay in camp had returned from the patrols they had gone on earlier, and the cats chosen to battle hadn't yet left. The mood felt quiet and subdued; Frostpaw saw cats only spoke to each other in hushed tones. Gazes and expressions were serious. Frostpaw's ears pricked as she noticed Elmclaw padding over to her, carrying some herbs in his mouth. He dropped a few leaves on the ground in front of Frostpaw.

"Eat. They will give you strength and keep you from getting tired," the medicine cat muttered around the leaves still clutched in his jaws.

"Thank you," Frostpaw murmured, obediently bending her head to lap up the bitter tasting leaves.

When Frostpaw raised her head back up, Elmclaw had already moved on to give herbs to the next cat.

It wasn't long until Sedgestar emerged from his den with Clearstream. Sedgestar departed from the medicine cat with a head dip, striding into the center of camp, where he paused. Conversations stopped as cats crowded around him, eyes alert and ears pricked.

"Ready?" Sedgestar meowed, his gaze sliding across his clan-mates.

Firm nods greeted his answer, tails raising. Frostpaw's stomach flipped with nerves as she sought the cats in her patrol out in the crowd, moving to stand next to Weaseltail and Autumnpaw. Autumnpaw gave her an enthusiastic bump in the shoulder, his amber eyes gleaming.

The patrols started to form out from the crowd. Frostpaw's group clustered around Darkpelt, and Sedgestar's patrol gathered near him. Frostpaw spotted Dewpaw in Sedgestar's patrol, quickly choking down herbs after being roused from her long nap. The cats that were remaining in camp hung further back. Frostpaw saw Redclaw there, watching her mate and kits with a carefully unreadable expression.

Grovepelt padded through the crowd over to Sedgestar. Sedgestar gave him a confident nod as the deputy approached him.

"Protect the camp, Grovepelt," Sedgestar meowed.

"Of course I will," Grovepelt replied in a quiet voice.

Grovepelt padded up to the leader's side, resting his thin pale brown tail on Sedgestar's shoulders.

"And, you stay safe, Sedgestar," Grovepelt murmured.

Sedgestar blinked his amber eyes affectionately at his former mentor.

"Don't worry about me, old friend," Sedgestar said with a quiet rumbling purr. "I have many lives left. You won't have to take my place just yet."

Sedgestar looked away from Grovepelt, sweeping his powerful gaze over all of the cats in camp. He raised his chin to address his clan.

"ShadowClan! To me!" Sedgestar shouted, waving his long brown-striped tail before turning and charging out of camp through the thorn tunnel.

The cats that were to remain to guard the camp as well as the queens and elders raised their voices in a supportive cry, cheering the cats chosen to battle on as the patrols streamed out of the camp in a single file line through the tunnel.

Before it was Frostpaw's turn to run through the tunnel, she cast a final glance back at the camp. Everyone was still cheering, their heads tilted back in the yowling cry. Everyone except for Grovepelt, who still stood in the center of camp. He watched his departing clan-mates with his chin held high in a proud expression, but his old, deep-green eyes were tinged with sadness.

Grovepelt's words echoed in Frostpaw's ears.

_"It becomes harder to sharpen your claws before battle when you can't help but wonder what friend won't be coming home afterwards."_

Frostpaw shivered slightly, but she still turned and ran out of camp.

* * *

ShadowClan crept through the dark pines. The forest had quickly turned pitch black as the last of the sunlight which had spent the day fighting the clouds finally surrendered as it became night. Sedgestar's and Darkpelt's patrols traveled together for a little while. Sedgestar led his clan to some toadstool patches that every cat took turns rolling in to disguise their ShadowClan scents.

"WindClan will be very surprised when they realize that they're being hunted by a bunch of mushrooms," Sedgestar said, and the patrols purred with amusement.

Soon enough though, it became time for the two patrols to part. Sedgestar's patrol was heading to the tunnel to enter into the heart of WindClan territory undetected, but Darkpelt's patrol had to finish the journey through the forest to the fallen tree at the WindClan border.

"Keep your eyes bright and your claws sharp," Sedgestar meowed to Darkpelt's patrol.

Although Sedgestar was only a few tail-lengths away from Frostpaw, most of his shape was lost in the deep shadows under the pines; Frostpaw could only make out the slight glint of his reflective eyes.

"I will see you all very soon."

Sedgestar turned and led his patrol away, the cats quickly vanishing into the darkness.

The rest of the journey to the moor was done in silence. Frostpaw padded closely to Autumnpaw, comforted by the occasional brush of his flank.

After a little while longer of walking, the trees started to thin, and soon Frostpaw could see the moor grass waving gently in the warm night's breeze between the trunks of the pines. She could also see the fallen pine at the edge of the moor, the location that their ambush plan rested on.

Darkpelt led the group to the fallen pine, where he paused under the cover of the trees. He split their patrol with a flick of his tail. Autumnpaw gave Frostpaw a small nod before heading over to join Darkpelt's group, while Frostpaw went over to Swoopstrike and Pinepaw and her group. Darkpelt gestured with his tail towards the moor indicate for them to take their positions hidden out in the grass. Darkpelt led his group to take up position on the right of the fallen tree, leaving the group Frostpaw was in to take the left. Frostpaw crept out into the moor grass hesitantly, sucking in a quiet, hissing breath as her paws crossed the strong scent markers at the edge of the moor and entered into WindClan territory. Weaseltail led their group into the correct position in the grass, leaving the required amount of space between their group and Darkpelt's. Darkpelt's very shadowed form nodded at them from a few boulder-lengths away, approving their positioning before lowering his tail to gesture them to get down. Frostpaw and everyone else crouched down in the tall moor grass, and the ShadowClan patrol disappeared from sight.

Frostpaw felt tension thrum through her as she waited, her form easily hidden by the tall, dense strands of grass. The night was totally still and silent around her. The dark clouds swirled soundlessly above, and every so often, only the sound of an owl hooting would break the stillness that hung over the night. Frostpaw could almost imagine that she was the only cat on earth, lost in a sea of moor grass, which stretched as far as she could see in the darkness in every direction around her. But, Frostpaw knew that many other cats were hidden in the grass with her close by, some might be as close as a tail-length away, although she had no way of telling. Just as Sedgestar wanted, the cloud cover meant it was very hard to see through the grass with such little light, and the toadstools that the ShadowClan patrol had rolled in was doing a great job at disguising their cat-scents.

Now all that was left to do was wait for their carefully planned trap to be sprung.

The sound of faint, furious yowling echoing across the hills was the first sign of the approaching patrol. The yowls grew increasingly louder, and they were soon joined by the sound of pounding footsteps. But, from Frostpaw's hidden crouch, she still could not see any of her clan-mates through the thick blanket of moor grass that surrounded her. It wasn't until the retreating ShadowClan patrol was only a few tail lengths away that she could make out the dark forms of cats streaming through the tall grass. Sedgestar's patrol ran through where Darkpelt's patrols were hiding, with WindClan prey clutched in their jaws, spiriting towards the fallen tree at the tree-line, just as planned. Sedgestar himself was the last cat in the ShadowClan patrol. Frostpaw could just barely make out his deeply shadowed head, shoulders and back peeking out from above the tall grass as he ran. A WindClan hare hung from his jaws, and he twisted his head over his shoulder to shout behind him without slowing his stride.

"And you call yourselves the fastest cats in the forest?!" Sedgestar's taunting voice rang out, yowled from around the prey in his mouth.

Frostpaw's muscles tensed. She felt a deep, instinctual urge to move to attack at the sound of her leader's voice, but she forced herself to remain motionless.

 _We're waiting for Darkpelt's signal, remember?_ she reminded herself.

A furious snarl met the sound of Sedgestar's taunt.

"Don't let those fox-hearts get away!" Rabbitstar's voice yowled.

More shadowed shapes flashed past Frostpaw, and a wave of WindClan scent rolled over her, but the enemy cats took no notice of the ShadowClan patrol hidden right under their noses as they charged for the tree-line.

As the WindClan warriors ran past, Frostpaw thought her heart was going to hammer out of her chest as she leaned forward, feeling like every muscle in her body was straining. She was a branch straining under the pressure of a storm, just waiting on that final gust to snap…

 _"NOW!"_ Darkpelt's voice thundered.

Frostpaw threw herself forward.

The hidden ShadowClan patrol exploded out into the night, charging at the back of the WindClan patrol with an eerie chorus of howling battlecries. Frostpaw panted as she ran as fast as she could. The moor grass painfully whipped her face, making her eyes water and sting, but her gaze was fixedly locked on the back of the nearest WindClan cat.

For a heartbeat, the confusion of the WindClan cats was palpable, like a dense fog had descended over them. The WindClanners came to a jerky, stumbling halt as the patrol they were chasing suddenly threw down their prey and whirled on them. But, also their ears pricked and heads swiveled backwards in shock at the sound of Darkpelt's patrol from behind—approaching them from _their own_ territory. Frostpaw saw Weaseltail reach a WindClan cat and throw himself at the enemy warrior; the two of them going tumbling in a screeching ball of fur. The noise seemed to jar WindClan back to life.

"WindClan attack!" Rabbitstar screeched.

The night devolved into shrieks and chaos, as WindClan met the waves of ShadowClan descending on them from all sides at the edge of the moor. Swoopstrike reached the WindClan warrior Frostpaw was charging at before she did, swiping at the WindClan she-cat's face. The WindClan cat dodged back, dodging his blows, hissing at Swoopstrike. The she-cat's gaze darted from side to side, but with ShadowClan all around, the WindClan patrol was trapped, grouped tightly together, and there was no where for her to flee.

 _We cut off WindClan's room to run! Just like Grovepelt said in training!_ Frostpaw thought as she closed the distance between her and Swoopstrike with a few more bounds.

Swoopstrike didn't look at her, but she noticed his ears flickered towards the left. Frostpaw immediately understood the command, and she feinted left, swiping at the WindClan she-cat's side. The grey WindClan warrior was too quick though, and she dodged away with Frostpaw's claws only slicing through air. But, Swoopstrike had already moved to the right side, and the grey she-cat practically bumped into him. Swoopstrike gave her a rough cuffing around her ears, and grappled with her short pelt to try to pull her to him as she tried to struggle away. Seeing the enemy warrior occupied with Swoopstrike, Frostpaw seized the opportunity to pounce at her, clamping her jaws around her tail to give a sharp bite. The she-cat spat, lashing out with her hind-legs, one of them kicking Frostpaw in the face, dislodging her.

Frostpaw hissed in pain. She had been scratched across her forehead, and she blinked hard as a few drops of blood ran down her fur and into her eye. But, as Frostpaw swiped her blood from her gaze, she noticed the grey warrior looked much worse for wear than she did. She had been distracted by Frostpaw's bite, and Swoopstrike had used that distraction to get his claws properly into her. And, now he held the smaller cat mercilessly in place as he tore paw-ful after paw-ful of fur from her sides, leaving her pelt a torn, bleeding mess. It wasn't until she wailed in surrender did Swoopstrike release her, and she went fleeing into the surging crowd of the battle, her form quickly getting lost in the darkness, the tall grass, and the confusing, writhing masses of battling cats.

Swoopstrike bounded up to Frostpaw, his eyes practically glowing with excitement and blood-lust. His sides were also covered in scratches that the WindClan warrior inflicted as she tried to escape his clutches, but Swoopstrike didn't seem to even notice them. Swoopstrike stopped in front of Frostpaw, reaching a WindClan-bloodstained paw towards Frostpaw's face. He used it to tilt her chin up, inspecting the cut across her forehead.

"The blood is already clotting. You'll live; it's shallow," he said, dropping his paw from her chin. "Now you should go find Pinepaw, and help her out. I'll be a yowl away if you need me."

Frostpaw nodded, and Swoopstrike was gone, throwing himself back into the fray. Frostpaw scanned the area around her, searching for Pinepaw's black pelt. She saw her a few fox-lengths away, facing off against a snarling grey WindClan tom. Pinepaw let out a high pitched screech as the enemy warrior clamped his jaws down on her tail. She was struggling futilely to free herself, and a golden-brown WindClan cat was rounding on the pinned apprentice, unsheathed claws raised. With a growl, Frostpaw went bounding over to Pinepaw, springing onto the grey tom's back, digging her fore-claws into his shoulders and her hind claws into his spine, and giving his ear a hard bite.

As the salty tang of blood filled Frostpaw's mouth, the grey tom yowled in pain, releasing Pinepaw's tail from his jaws. Pinepaw shot forward, falling on the golden-brown tom in a flurry of hisses and slashes. The grey tom under Frostpaw bucked, twisting and snarling as he tried to shake her off. Frostpaw gasped as she lost her grip and was thrown to the ground. She landed on her side, letting out a yowl of pain as her hip slammed against the hard-packed earth. The grey tom whirled on her, but Swoopstrike suddenly appeared, barreling the smaller WindClan cat over. Frostpaw scrambled back to her paws and watched her mentor pin the smaller cat to the ground, give the WindClan warrior's side a solid raking with his claws before releasing him and sending the bleeding tom fleeing away with a final parting swat.

Frostpaw turned to check back on Pinepaw, and saw her still locked in battle with the golden-brown tom. Frostpaw ducked down, stalking up to the golden-brown warrior from behind, her form mostly hidden in the grass. Frostpaw saw Pinepaw's gaze flicker to her for just a heartbeat as she spotted her in the grass, before the black she-cat quickly looked away, not wanting to give away Frostpaw's position. Frostpaw watched as Pinepaw looked deliberately down at the tom's paws. The tom danced away from Pinepaw, thinking she was going for his feet, but Frostpaw understood the silent request. Frostpaw shot forward, sweeping the tom's legs out from him with a powerful wack of her forepaws. The tom let out a yelp of surprise as he stumbled, trying to turn towards Frostpaw's attack, but before he could, Pinepaw had sprung onto his back and was raking her hindlegs down his spine with several kicks, clawing up golden-brown fur and blood.

The tom howled in pain, trying to shake her off, but Frostpaw darted forward, raking her claws down the tom's face, clawing his muzzle. The tom snapped blindly, and Frostpaw hissed in pain as his fangs scraped her paw. Pinepaw sprung off the tom's back and landed next to Frostpaw before she whirled back towards the WindClan cat. Pinepaw and Frostpaw advanced towards him side by side, hissing, tails lashing and fur bristling. The tom shied back a few tail-lengths, looking uncertain if he wanted to take on both apprentices again.

A loud yowl interrupted the fighting, ringing across the battlefield. Frostpaw, Pinepaw and the WindClan cat all turned to look towards the noise. A few boulder-lengths away from them, Frostpaw saw Sedgestar standing over a ginger-furred cat in a patch of moor grass that had been violently flattened to the ground from the struggling cats. Sedgestar's striped head and tail raised high. Frostpaw blinked as she recognized the ginger cat that Sedgestar had pinned to the ground as Rabbitstar.

"This is where the border is, Rabbitstar!" Sedgestar snarled, shoving the ginger tom's muzzle into the dirt with a large paw. "And, don't you forget it!"

Sedgestar sprung off of Rabbitstar, and the WindClan leader stumbled to his paws, spitting dirt from his mouth. The ginger tom whirled, snarling at Sedgestar, seeming like he was going to attack him again, but Sedgestar just gave a low, rumbling, warning growl, his tail lashing behind him. Rabbitstar's gaze flicked around. Frostpaw saw that the ShadowClan warriors were creeping closer, tightening the snare around the WindClan cats, pushing them more tightly together. It was clear that WindClan was trapped and sorely outnumbered, and Rabbitstar seemed to realize that.

Rabbitstar gave a low, furious growl.

"WindClan! Retreat!" he yowled.

The ginger leader turned and shoved himself between the still snarling and swatting Darkpelt and Dustleap, breaking free from the circle of ShadowClan cats to flee across the moor. The trapped WindClan cats attempted to follow, shoving up against the circle of ShadowClan warriors.

"Let them run, but make sure they remember the sting of our claws!" Sedgestar shouted, throwing his head back to let out a thundering caterwaul of victory.

The rest of ShadowClan followed suit, raising their voices in exhilaration. WindClan fled with ShadowClan letting them pass by, but being sure to send them off with parting swipes and snaps. Frostpaw watched as Pinepaw sprung at the golden-brown cat they had been battling, giving one of his hindlegs a nip as he turned and ran, following the rest of WindClan. Soon all of the WindClan cats were streaking away from the ShadowClan patrol, sprinting through the tall grass.

Frostpaw's heart pounded. The feeling from the ShadowClan cry was infectious, and Frostpaw couldn't stop herself from throwing her head back and adding her voice to theirs. ShadowClan's chorus of triumphant yowls echoed across the moor; their victory shouted up towards the dark night sky.


	10. To ShadowClan

Frostpaw's throat growing hoarse, she finally ceased her yowling. Slowly the rest of her clan-mates did the same, and silence once again settled over the night. Frostpaw's gaze flickered over to meet Pinepaw's, who was still standing at Frostpaw's side. Pinepaw gave Frostpaw a single nod, and for once, her amber gaze held no trace of contempt.

"Well done," Swoopstrike meowed to Frostpaw in his gruff voice, padding over to the two apprentices.

Frostpaw raised her chin, feeling a rush of pride. Swoopstrike turned to Pinepaw.

"And, I'm sure Grovepelt will be pleased with you when I tell him how well you fought once we get back to camp," Swoopstrike added.

Pinepaw's tail stuck up in delight, her amber eyes glowing.

"Pinepaw! Frostpaw!"

Frostpaw's ears pricked, and she turned to see Autumnpaw and Poolpaw running over to her and Pinepaw. Besides a few scratches, Frostpaw was relieved to see that neither apprentice looked any worse for wear. The two toms eyes were still alight with excitement from the rush of the battle, and they practically vibrated with energy.

"We sure showed them!" Poolpaw crowed, springing around and swatting at nearby strands of grass.

For once, Swoopstrike didn't scold Poolpaw for pouncing around like a kit, but he did give an eye roll, shaking his head.

"It felt so good to finally use all of those moves we've been practicing in a real battle!" Autumnpaw said, bouncing up and down on his toes, before turning to Frostpaw and Pinepaw. "And, I saw you two fighting together there towards the end! You made a good team!"

Frostpaw glanced over at Pinepaw, but the other apprentice didn't look at her, just loudly cleared her throat.

"…Frostpaw was surprisingly competent," Pinepaw sniffed.

"Careful, Pinepaw, that almost sounded like a compliment," Poolpaw purred in a cheeky voice, his black and white tail flicking.

Pinepaw curled her lip up at her brother, a warning growl rumbling in her throat.

"How are my apprentices over here?" A deep voice behind Frostpaw said, interrupting the apprentices' bickering. "No serious injuries I hope?"

Frostpaw turned to see Sedgestar, accompanied by Weaseltail, padding over to the group of apprentices. Weaseltail swept a worried gaze over the apprentices, scanning them all separately, but the tom seemed to relax as he saw everyone still had two eyes, two ears, four legs and a tail. The ShadowClan leader was missing a few patches of fur on his shoulder and had a cut down his side, but his amber eyes glowed with victory. Swoopstrike shook his head in response to Sedgestar's question.

"No injuries here beyond scrapes and bruises, Sedgestar," Swoopstrike meowed. "And, the apprentices all fought valiantly."

"Good," Sedgestar said, a content look entering his amber eyes.

Weaseltail nodded in agreement, his face taking on a proud fatherly expression.

Autumnpaw practically swelled with pride. Pinepaw and Poolpaw exchanged delighted looks. Even Frostpaw felt a jolt of happiness at the compliment from ShadowClan's leader.

"How did Damppaw and Dewpaw do with the attack on the camp?" Swoopstrike asked.

Sedgestar's whiskers twitched with pleasure.

"Excellent," he meowed. "It seems to me that they are more than worthy of their warrior names. I will hold their ceremony once we get back to camp."

"Darkpelt and Larkfoot will be pleased," Weaseltail purred.

Pinepaw gasped, her fur standing on end with excitement.

"I have to go congratulate Damppaw!" she said.

Pinepaw quickly bounded off. Sedgestar departed from the group as well, raising his voice to address all of the ShadowClan cats.

"Remark the borders, then head back to camp! Don't forget to take the prey that was stolen from WindClan back too. Tonight we celebrate our victory!" Sedgestar said.

ShadowClan yowled in excitement. As many warriors went to mark the border on the trees, Fogfur and Beeclaw made their way over to their apprentices. Fogfur was carrying a massive hare, evidently one stolen from the WindClan fresh-kill pile.

"Let's head back to camp," Fogfur mumbled around the fresh-kill in his mouth. "It looks like plenty of warriors have the border marking taken care of."

Swoopstrike nodded in agreement.

Weaseltail, Beeclaw, Fogfur, Swoopstrike and the three apprentices walked through the trees in the direction of camp. As the excitement from the battle faded, Frostpaw found herself fighting back yawns as exhaustion crept in. But, she knew she wouldn't be sleeping for a while. Considering the warriors ceremony planned and the rowdy state the rest of the clan was in, ShadowClan would be living up to its name and wouldn't be resting until the shadows were driven away by the dawn.

Their group was the first to reach camp, and as they headed towards the thorn tunnel, the camp guard's voice rang out through the forest

"Returning ShadowClan warriors!" Hootflight called.

As Frostpaw emerged, blinking from the thorn tunnel, and she and her group were mobbed by the cats that had remained in camp.

"Where's everyone else?"

"Did we win?"

"Where's Sedgestar?"

"WindClan was soundly defeated," Fogfur boasted in a loud voice, dropping his hare at his feet. "The rest of the patrols should be right behind us!"

ShadowClan broke out into cheers.

Redclaw padded up to Weaseltail and the group of apprentices.

"Where's Pinepaw?" she meowed, her green eyes slightly concerned. "She's not injured, is she?"

"No, she's fine," Autumnpaw meowed.

"She just _had to_ be the first to congratulate _Damppaw_ ," Poolpaw said with an eye-roll, mockingly huffing out Damppaw's name in the same breathy voice Pinepaw used. "Sedgestar is making him and Dewpaw warriors tonight."

"Damppaw, huh?" Redclaw said with an amused twitch of her whiskers, exchanging a glance with Weaseltail. "She's been padding after that tom since she was a kit!"

"We know," Autumnpaw said, sticking his tongue out and wrinkling his face up like he just smelt crow-food.

Frostpaw stifled a loud purr at his expression, trying to cover it with a cough. But, the noise didn't fool Autumnpaw, and he shot her a look out of the corner of his gaze, his amber eyes shimmering playfully.

"Stop teasing your sister," Redclaw said sternly, flicking her tail at Autumnpaw's ears, but her gaze didn't look serious.

"Yes Redclaw," Autumnpaw said dutifully, ducking his head to dodge her tail, but his gaze continued to spark with mischief.

"Come here, Frostpaw, let me clean that blood off of your forehead," Redclaw said, rising to her paws and padding over to her before Frostpaw could even respond.

Frostpaw obediently dipped her head to allow Redclaw to rasp her tongue over her forehead, washing the blood off and gently rasping over the cut. Frostpaw noticed with a jolt that she was taller than her now. Redclaw wasn't a particularly large cat, to be fair, but Frostpaw was still surprised that Redclaw had to stretch up on her toes to reach Frostpaw's forehead.

"There," Redclaw purred once she finished, giving Frostpaw another lick on the cheek for good measure. "You're back to being as pretty as ever."

"Thank you, Redclaw," Frostpaw purred quietly.

Redclaw's ears pricked, and she turned towards the thorn tunnel.

"I hear more cats coming!" she meowed.

Redclaw was right, and the rest of the ShadowClan patrols appeared, streaming through the tunnel with WindClan prey dangling from many of their jaws. Frostpaw spotted Pinepaw and Damppaw among them. Damppaw had a large WindClan pheasant in his mouth and a newly torn ear, but besides that looked no worse for wear. Pinepaw trailed after him, meowing something to him that Frostpaw could not hear because the camp had broken out into cheers again at the appearance of the rest of the battle patrol. Sedgestar was the last to enter camp, and he bounded victoriously into the center of the clearing, amidst his cheering clan-mates.

"My friends!" Sedgestar yowled, his shadowed figure stretched up proudly, and the cheering quieted so the cats could hear their leader. "As foolish as it may be, there are times when the other Clans start to think that they are stronger than us…"

A chorus of angry growls met his words, and Sedgestar waved his tail for silence.

"I know. I know," he said. "At gatherings, we carry ourselves with a quiet pride and dignity, reassured that we can face any threat that dares challenge us. But, sometimes the other clans see that and instead of seeing our strength, they think we are weak because we don't grumble and growl and puff our chests out and strut about like cardinals, as they do."

More angry yowls challenged his words, and Sedgestar nodded along with them.

 _"BUT!"_ he yowled out over all the other voices. "That false strength they display is just a mask to hide their insecurities and weaknesses! But, we are confident, so we are quiet! We know the value of our hidden strength! _Of shadows!"_

Frostpaw joined her voice to the others, yowling out her agreement. Her heart pounded in excitement. Frostpaw felt a strange feeling of collectiveness settle over her. It didn't seem anymore like her voice was shouting along with the others, but instead they blended together so now there was only one cry, one voice— ShadowClan's.

"WindClan was reminded of this tonight!" Sedgestar shouted, his amber eyes burning with fire. "It is a lesson they won't soon forget! And, so now we feast on their prey and celebrate our victory! To ShadowClan!"

 _"To ShadowClan!"_ the clan roared the echoed cry.

The prey taken from WindClan was distributed out among the cheering clan, and Grovepelt padded over to their fresh-kill pile to supplement it with a few pieces of ShadowClan prey so that every cat would have a full belly.

"Here you go," Fogfur said with a deep purr, dropping the massive hare he had stolen at Poolpaw, Autumnpaw and Frostpaw's feet. "This should be big enough to feed all three of you."

"Thank you Fogfur!" Poolpaw gasped excitedly.

Poolpaw quickly tucked in, inhaling the rabbit so quickly that it made Frostpaw wonder whether he thought that if he didn't eat it fast it would still run away from him.

"We better get in to have a piece before Poolpaw eats it all!" Autumnpaw meowed to Frostpaw with a purr.

He head-butted Poolpaw's black-and-white flank.

"Move your fat tail over and save some for us!" Autumnpaw purred.

"I'm not fat! I'm just fluffy!" Poolpaw protested through a mouthful of food, but he still scooted to make space for Autumnpaw and Frostpaw around the piece of prey.

Autumnpaw didn't reply, but he took a big bite of the rabbit, and the brothers' argument was forgotten for the moment as they both ate. Frostpaw took a bite from the flank of the rabbit, and let out a contented purr at the taste of the juicy meat.

"It's good, isn't it?" Autumnpaw mumbled around the food in his mouth. "And, it tastes even better than normal because we weren't the ones who had to catch it!"

The clan ate for a while, sharing prey and purrs and tongues while Elmclaw and Clearstream made their way through the group, putting herbs and cobwebs on wounds. Clearstream headed over to the group of apprentices, examining the cut across Frostpaw's forehead. She rubbed a poultice of herbs on it. Frostpaw winced as the juices stung the cut.

"That'll keep it from getting infected," Clearstream said. "But, it seems shallow, so I expect it will heal without a problem. Do you have any other wounds?"

"My paw was bitten," Frostpaw said, extending her forepaw towards the medicine cat.

Clearstream carefully studied the paw.

"It doesn't appear to have broken the skin. The paw might be sore for a day, but it should be fine," Clearstream chirped cheerfully, before turning towards Autumnpaw and Poolpaw.

"Where are your wounds?" she asked.

Clearstream put some poultice on a scratch on Autumnpaw's side, and dabbed a bit on Poolpaw's bitten shoulder before declaring the group of apprentices good, and moving on to the next cat.

As the feasting settled down as every cat in the clan ate their full, Sedgestar rose to his paws, raising his tail for attention. The clan quieted their conversations, and once more turned towards their leader.

"I have one more announcement to make tonight," Sedgestar said, a low purr rumbling in his voice. "And, it is one that fills me with joy and pride. Damppaw and Dewpaw, will you please step forward?"

The two apprentices strode out of the crowd to stand before Sedgestar. Frostpaw noticed they had taken the time to clean their pelts after the battle. Damppaw's dark pelt gleamed with inky blackness, and Dewpaw's grey pelt billowed like storm clouds around her. Besides Damppaw's herb-plastered newly torn ear and Dewpaw's scratched nose, their pelts looked unblemished, and they looked at their leader with shining eyes. Sedgestar lifted his head high, angling his gaze upwards to search the overcast sky. Some of the cloud cover had broken, and there was a few slivers of sky from which the stars of Silverpelt blinked through.

"The clouds have parted so our warrior ancestors can watch over us!" Sedgestar said, his voice ringing throughout camp. "We must have their blessing for this ceremony. I, Sedgestar, leader of ShadowClan call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these two apprentices. They fought valiantly tonight to protect the honor of ShadowClan, and I have found them to be more than worthy of their warrior names."

Sedgestar dropped his head to search Damppaw and Dewpaw's gazes.

"Damppaw and Dewpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your lives?"

" _I do_ ," Damppaw and Dewpaw's voices rang out in chorus.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names," Sedgestar said, his chin held high. "Damppaw, from this moment on you will be known as Dampfang. StarClan honors your bravery and strength. Dewpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Dewleaf. StarClan honors your loyalty and determination. And, we welcome you both as full warriors of ShadowClan!"

The clan cheered as Sedgestar rested his muzzle first on Dampfang's head, then on Dewleaf's.

"Dampfang! Dewleaf! Dampfang! Dewleaf!" Frostpaw cheered along with her clanmates.

Looking at Dampfang and Dewleaf's proudly raised heads, for the first time Frostpaw felt a thrill of excitement pass through her at the thought of one day being in their pawsteps, listening to ShadowClan cheer her name. She imagined the pride she would see in Redclaw and Weaseltail's faces, Sedgestar's contented expression as he watched his clan grow, and even maybe grudging admiration in Swoopstrike's eyes.

As the cheering died down, cats moved to congratulate the newly named warriors. There was some more yawning here and there too, and Frostpaw saw Amberberry usher Mosskit and Murmurkit towards the nursery.

"But, Mom! Why can't we stay up longer? We're going to be made apprentices any day now!" Mosskit protested.

"That's true, but until your name ends with a 'paw and not a 'kit, you still have to do as I say," Amberberry scolded, nudging her daughters along.

Frostpaw found herself stifling yawns herself, the weariness of her muscles from the battle catching back up to her. It seemed too almost like her cuts were stinging a bit more as if in echo of her tiredness.

"Lets go congratulate Dampfang and Dewleaf, then head to our nests," Autumnpaw said, rising to his paws and yawning. "I'm exhausted."

"Speak for yourself," Poolpaw said, puffing his chest out. "I still feel like I could take on three WindClan cats. I think I'll stay out for a bit longer and chat with them before they have to do their vigils."

"And, listen to Dampfang yammer on all night about how great he was in the battle?" Autumnpaw asked with an eye-roll, leading the way across the camp towards the new warriors with Frostpaw and Poolpaw following. " _Thank StarClan_ warrior vigils are silent or no cat would get any sleep tonight."

Frostpaw and Poolpaw purred in amusement.

"You got that right," Poolpaw said.

Frostpaw shot a look at Poolpaw out of the corner of her eyes.

"Although, I think Poolpaw might be more concerned about Dewleaf than with Dampfang…" Frostpaw said, a quiet bit of mischievousness creeping into her voice.

Poolpaw widened his eyes at Frostpaw.

 _"What!?"_ Autumnpaw said, dramatically whirling around. "Is this true? Poolpaw, explain yourself."

"Shut up, you frog-brains!" Poolpaw hissed, embarrassed heat rolling off his prickling black-and-white fur. "They can hear us!"

"This conversation is not over!" Autumnpaw said, but Poolpaw bounded ahead of him to greet Dampfang, Dewleaf and Pinepaw who were chatting together.

"How did you know Poolpaw likes Dewleaf, and I didn't?" Autumnpaw asked in a quieter voice, turning to Frostpaw with a furrowed brow.

"Well it was more of a hunch than anything," Frostpaw admitted with a shrug. "He's not as obvious about it as Pinepaw is about Dampfang."

"So, I guess I'm just dense then?" Autumnpaw said, his dark red tail flicking.

"Your words, not mine," Frostpaw said with a stifled purr.

"Ouch," Autumnpaw said teasingly, flicking his tail at Frostpaw, which she nimbly dodged.

As the two of them approached the group, Frostpaw noticed they were in the midst of a lively conversation, with Dampfang holding everybody's attention as he spoke and gestured wildly. Dampfang narrowed his eyes at Frostpaw as she sat down by Dewleaf and Poolpaw, but he didn't pause in his sentence.

"—So, once we got into the camp, we fell immediately down on the WindClan warriors. They sleep out in the open in the middle of the camp, by the way. Can you believe that? They must have cold and wet pelts so many nights. But, anyway, so we got into the camp without alerting their sentries, and we pounced on them while they were still sleeping! Ha! What a way to wake up, huh?" Dampfang said, his green eyes glinting in excitement.

Pinepaw was eagerly nodding along, looking entranced by him. Even Autumnpaw and Poolpaw's ears pricked in interest, despite their common complaints that he never shut up.

"Then once Sedgestar told us to retreat, we snatched up all the prey in their fresh-kill pile and went running!" Dampfang meowed.

"WindClan claims to be the fastest in the forest, but they didn't catch us," Dewleaf added, giving her paw a satisfied lick and drawing it across her whiskers.

"Yeah!" Dampfang agreed, his tail tip twitching. "We made it to the border with them fox-lengths behind."

"Where we were waiting for them!" Poolpaw added, digging his claws into the ground.

Autumnpaw nodded in satisfaction, turning to look at Frostpaw.

"Are you excited that you finally got some revenge on those WindClan cats who tried to attack you?" Autumnpaw asked.

Frostpaw shuffled her paws, feeling her fur prickle uncomfortably as the full attention of the group was turned on her.

"…Yeah," Frostpaw said, but she felt like her voice didn't sound enthusiastic enough.

Frostpaw's brow furrowed, and her thoughts reeled as she saw Dampfang's and Pinepaw's gazes narrow critically at her.

"I mean… it wasn't really about me though. They disrespected Sedgestar and ShadowClan. That's why they needed to be taught a lesson," Frostpaw added rapidly, shooting a quick look at Autumnpaw for support.

Autumnpaw nodded along to her words, giving her a reassuring blink.

"Of course," he meowed.

"Well, _I_ definitely enjoyed tearing them up!" Pinepaw cut in, jumping to her paws.

"I'm mean, you four haven't been training long," Dampfang drawled, casting his green gaze harshly over the four apprentices like he wasn't an apprentice himself only a few heartbeats ago. "But, this is WindClan that we're talking about, and everyone knows that they're scrawny cowards. So, I'm sure they weren't too much of a problem for you to fight."

Dampfang's gaze slid over to Frostpaw.

"Even for someone like you," he added pointedly to her.

Frostpaw clenched her jaw. Her stomach tightened as a rush of anxiety washed over her, but Autumnpaw jumped in before she could say anything.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Autumnpaw said, a slight warning growl in his voice. "Frostpaw has been training just as long as me or my littermates. She fights just as well as we do too."

Dampfang shrugged, his sticky green gaze sliding from Frostpaw to Autumnpaw.

"Training can only do so much though, right?" Dampfang said. "What I'm talking about is _blood._ You can't change that. I mean… a squirrel will never learn how to fly no matter how many times it jumps out a tree. Even if it was raised by birds. Because it was born a squirrel. Not a bird."

Frostpaw's ears flattened. Her stomach rolled with hot anger. She wanted to snap at Dampfang that it wasn't true, that she was just as much as a ShadowClan cat as him, and she would be just as good as a warrior— No. A _better_ warrior than him someday. But, strangely her throat felt bone-dry, and she could not make any words come. Not that it would make a difference anyway; what could she even say to change a cat like Dampfang's mind?

Her fur prickled with heat— half in anger, and half in shame from her inability to defend herself. Frostpaw jerkily rose to her paws and whirled away from the group, stalking towards the apprentices' den with tense muscles.

"You must have tadpoles in your brain because Frostpaw is a _cat,_ just like you and me and the rest of us, not a bird or a squirrel!" Frostpaw heard Autumnpaw snarling behind her. "That's all that matters!"

"Not true. Blood is very important," Dampfang sneered. "Does a WindClan cat like to swim? No. But, RiverClan does. That's a difference in blood."

Frostpaw heard Autumnpaw growling something in a low, angry voice, but then she heard Poolpaw's voice cut in.

"He's not worth it," Poolpaw muttered.

 _I wonder if Pinepaw agrees with Dampfang,_ Frostpaw thought, her jaw clenching.

But, she knew she couldn't look back and check the she-cat's expression; that would just add to her already horribly embarrassing exit. Her stomached rolled as she thought of how she must look like such a pathetic coward to them, running away.

"What's going on?"

Swoopstrike appeared out of nowhere as Frostpaw thought he so often did, his green eyes not missing a thing as they swept over Frostpaw's prickling pelt and clenched jaw.

"—Dampfang…" Frostpaw growled, her voice coming back to her.

She shook her head. There wasn't a point in telling Swoopstrike. Then he would just think she was a pathetic coward too, which wouldn't benefit anyone.

"Don't worry about it. I'm handling it," Frostpaw said through clenched fangs, turning her gaze away from him.

Swoopstrike's gaze studied her face carefully.

"Good," he said in his curt tones.

Swoopstrike turned away from her, and Frostpaw continued towards the apprentices' den.

"Frostpaw," Swoopstrike said with a tail flick, drawing her attention back to him. "Remember what Sedgestar said. Quiet, hidden strength is what ShadowClan values. The cat that yowls the loudest doesn't win. Just be unyielding."

Frostpaw's brow furrowed, wondering how much her mentor was able to decipher about Dampfang just from her expression. But, she nodded to him before turning again and padding into the dark apprentices' den.

Frostpaw headed to her nest. Even though Dampfang and Dewleaf wouldn't be sleeping in this den any longer, giving the remaining apprentices more space, Frostpaw still curled up in her cramped nest, pushed tight against the side of the holly bush. Frostpaw closed her eyes, hoping for sleep to wash over her quickly.

The entrance to the den rustled, and Autumnpaw's earthy scent drifted over to Frostpaw as he pushed his way inside the holly bush. Frostpaw kept her eyes tightly shut, pretending to be asleep. Her stomach still clenched anxiously as her cowardly retreat played over again and again in her mind.

_I can't face him… not yet._

Frostpaw heard Autumnpaw pad into the den, growling quietly to himself. He paused his growling and then more rustling began. As the rustling persisted and grew increasing louder, Frostpaw cracked one of her eyes open a tiny sliver, overcome by curiosity. Autumnpaw was in the center of the den, clawing up Dampfang's old nest and viciously kicking it out of the apprentice's den. Frostpaw closed her eyes again before Autumnpaw could notice, and she continued to pretend to sleep, waiting for her mounting exhaustion to make it a reality. Eventually Autumnpaw's rustling died down after he must have gotten every scrap of moss that smelt like Dampfang out of the den.

Frostpaw felt herself teetering on the verge of sleep, her thoughts becoming more and more incoherent when she felt a muzzle gently nudging her shoulder, snapping her out of it. Frostpaw's eyes flickered open, and she saw Autumnpaw's shadowed form standing over her.

"Hey…" he meowed in an abnormally serious voice, blinking dark amber eyes down at her. "I got rid of Dampfang's nest, so there's more room in the center of the den now. I moved my nest over there, and you can come put yours next to mine if you want. It's less drafty in the center."

Autumnpaw's gaze flickered towards the holly branches that reached their way from the side of the den and into Frostpaw's nest.

"And, less poke-y," he added, a hint of his normal mischief appearing back in his gaze.

At the sound of his joking voice, Frostpaw couldn't stop a soft purr from rumbling in her throat.

"…Okay," she murmured quietly.

Frostpaw rose from her nest, and Autumnpaw helped her move the moss, pine needles, and feathers over a few tail-lengths into the center of the den, reassembling a cozy nest for her there, next to Autumnpaw's. The tightness in her stomach miraculously gone, Frostpaw curled up in her new nest, wrapped herself into a ball, and covered her muzzle with her tail. Frostpaw felt Autumnpaw circle in his nest beside hers, and his back brushed hers as he curled himself into a tight ball.

"Goodnight, Frostpaw," Autumnpaw meowed.

"Goodnight, Autumnpaw," Frostpaw replied.

Frostpaw's eyes drifted shut, and sleep draped over her effortlessly.


	11. Watch and Wait

In the days following the battle with WindClan, a feeling of normality settled over ShadowClan once more. After their firm defeat on their own territory, WindClan stopped pushing their luck on the border, and Frostpaw spent her days training, and hunting, and patrolling, the trouble with WindClan forgotten, for now at least.

A few sunrises after the battle, Mosspaw and Murmurpaw were made apprentices, and given to Dappledpelt and Thornheart, respectively. And, the apprentice den was full once more, made especially lively by the talkative Mosspaw. Frostpaw was on a dawn patrol with Mosspaw, Swoopstrike, Dappledpelt, and Dewleaf now. Frostpaw nodded patiently along as Mosspaw went on and on, leaving Frostpaw idly wondering how the she-cat managed to speak for so long without seemingly taking a breath.

"This is only my second patrol," Mosspaw was saying to her now. "I went on the first one to tour our territory, of course. But, I've only done hunting training and moss duty since then, so this is my first proper border patrol! Oh! Do you think we'll see any WindClan cats? Ha, although I don't think WindClan will want to show their faces around us after we beat them so bad not that long ago. What about ThunderClan? Are they actually as big as the elders say they are? I always thought that must be an exaggeration—"

"We won't be seeing any enemy warriors if you keep pattering on like that," Swoopstrike snapped, whipping his head around from where he was walking in front of the two apprentices to lock Mosspaw in his scorching green gaze. "I swear, every cat in the forest must be able to hear you from here to Highstones!"

Mosspaw's ears flattened, her jaws snapping shut against her stream of words, and the cream-furred apprentice seemed to somewhat deflate. Frostpaw gave Mosspaw a sympathetic glance.

"Don't talk to my apprentice that way!" Dappledpelt snapped back to Swoopstrike from his side, the gaze she raked over him as sharp as thorns.

Swoopstrike's ears flattened at her rebuke, his tail tip twitching.

Frostpaw thought the dappled tortoiseshell warrior seemed very defensive of Mosspaw, her first apprentice. Frostpaw's brow furrowed slightly as she noted that she and Swoopstrike were close in age, and must have been den-mates in the nursery and apprentice den together.

_I wonder if that's why she's not afraid to put Swoopstrike in his place—she's been dealing up with his grumpy mood her entire life!_

Swoopstrike rolled his eyes at Dappledpelt.

"I'm just saying, ShadowClan is known for being _silent_ , right?" Swoopstrike said. "The best stalkers in the forest? Ever heard of that? Being loud is just un-ShadowClan."

"Oh, shut up, frog-brain," Dappledpelt said, with an eye roll in response. "She's just excited. I know the concept of happiness is hard to grasp for a cat who's heart is as barren and frigid as yours, but _try_ to imagine."

"If my heart is cold and dead, it's only because you made it that way," Swoopstrike retorted hotly, but Frostpaw thought she could defect a hint of playfulness in his voice that was unusual for him. " _StarClan,_ you drain the life out of everything you touch. You know, Sedgestar was actually going to give you the warrior name 'Deathtouch,' but I thought it was too mean, so I convinced him to just go with 'Dappledpelt' instead."

"No, I think you've gotten me confused with yourself," Dappledpelt said haughtily, sticking her muzzle up in the air. "Ask anyone in the clan. Especially your poor sister. You're so unbearable, it's a miracle Snakeeyes didn't do us all a favor and strangle you when you two were only kits."

Dappledpelt flicked Swoopstrike's flank with a lash of her tail, and Swoopstrike sprung away from her touch like it was burning fire.

" _Ack!_ Stay away from me, Deathtouch! My heart will give out, and I'm too young to die!" Swoopstrike yowled, recoiling from her.

Dappledpelt huffed offendedly.

"Come on, Mosspaw! Let's run ahead to the ThunderClan border before this _noisy, un-ShadowClan_ frog-brain scares away all the cats 'from here to Highstones!'" Dappledpelt shouted the final jab over her shoulder, and she opened her stride, eating up the ground.

Mosspaw followed her into the trees, as did Dewleaf, who was purring loudly with amusement from their whole interaction. Frostpaw hung back with Swoopstrike, figuring that he wouldn't be pleased if his own apprentice abandoned him too.

Frostpaw studied Swoopstrike's face as he watched Dappledpelt run away with a green gaze that shimmered like a pool of water in the sunlight. But, Swoopstrike seemed to sense Frostpaw's eyes on him, and his gaze flickered to her.

"What?" he snapped, his eyes narrowing, the spark of warmth that was in them only a heartbeat ago vanishing as quickly as it appeared.

Frostpaw just looked away, and shrugged.

Not saying anything was probably the best course of action here, but she couldn't stop her whiskers from twitching in smug amusement. Swoopstrike huffed, giving himself a shake.

"Let's head to the border," he said in his normal curt tones, taking off at a sprint.

Frostpaw followed.

They caught up with the rest of their patrol at the edge of the thunderpath. Dappledpelt's ear twitched when Swoopstrike and Frostpaw approached but besides that didn't say anything. The ShadowClan patrol prowled down the edge of the thunderpath, remarking their borders in the shade of the trees as monsters roared past. Mosspaw, still not accustomed to the loud beasts, jumped at every passing. The thunderpath quieted down for a bit, and as the sharp tang of monster scent faded, Frostpaw's nose twitched as it picked up a new scent— cat scent.

"ThunderClan," Swoopstrike hissed the warning, catching the same scent Frostpaw had.

The ShadowClan patrol instinctively crouched down in the darkness beneath the pines, and turned to gaze across the thunderpath, their sharp eyes scanning the dark undergrowth on the other side to search for any movement. It wasn't long before some bushes on the ThunderClan side of the border rustled and a patrol of four cats pushed their way through. Frostpaw recognized one brown tom as Acornear, the ThunderClan deputy, but the other warriors, a tortoiseshell she-cat, a ginger she-cat, and a grey-and-white tom, were unfamiliar to her. The ThunderClan warriors hadn't seemed to notice the ShadowClan patrol hidden in the shadows across the thunderpath, and they continued on their way down the edge of their tree line undisturbed. Acornear split away from the rest of his patrol to pad out from under the trees and approach the edge of the thunderpath.

Frostpaw noticed Swoopstrike tense beside her, like he was afraid that the ThunderClan deputy would try to cross the thunderpath and into their territory. But, Acornear stopped right at the edge of the black, sticky stone of the thunderpath and bent his head to sniff at some crowfood lying there. Frostpaw squinted, trying to make out the shape. She thought it might be a squirrel, but it was hard to tell because its body was rather mangled by the monster that had killed it. Frostpaw's eyes widened in shock as Acornear opened his jaws to pick up the crowfood, which was exactly when Swoopstrike moved out from under the shadows of the trees to stride out towards the thunderpath.

"Has ThunderClan gotten so weak that it needs monsters to do their hunting for them?" Swoopstrike sneered, his voice ringing across the thunderpath.

Acornear's head snapped up in surprise, dropping the crowfood back on the ground. The rest of the ThunderClan patrol turned to face the sound of Swoopstrike's voice, their pelts bristling.

"I hear that crowfood that sits on the side of the thunderpath for sunrises acquires a very _unique_ flavor," Dappledpelt added, padding out to stand at Swoopstrike's side. "ThunderClan must like that."

Swoopstrike nodded at Dappledpelt's words, his face mockingly thoughtful. Frostpaw thought he and Dappledpelt made a frightening team when their biting words were working in tandem instead of battling against each other.

"You sure do talk a lot for a Clan that eats rats and two-leg trash at the Carrionplace," the ginger ThunderClan she-cat snarled in reply, dashing up to their side of the thunderpath with a bristling pelt.

"I wonder," Swoopstrike continued, ignoring the ginger she-cat. "Does ThunderClan let all of their freshkill sit out until it starts rotting or is crowfood like this a treat for special occasions?"

 _"Enough,"_ Acornear snarled, and Frostpaw saw a gleaming flash of claws as he dug them into the ground in fury. "I won't tolerate these insults on my own territory!"

 _"Your_ territory?" Dewleaf echoed, her eyes wide in mock surprise, as she padded up to join Swoopstrike and Dappledpelt.

Frostpaw hesitantly crept out behind them, her belly tight with nerves as she waited to see if the tenseness between the patrols would break out into a full-out fight. Mosspaw was at her side, and the younger apprentice's eyes were wide and her fur all bushed out, looking equal parts frightened and excited.

"Yes. I'm sorry, but I think you must be confused," Dappledpelt said, her lip curled up slightly. "We are over here on the ShadowClan side of the thunderpath, having a conversation among ourselves on _our_ territory. Whatever you happen to overhear is not our fault."

"Yes, it's absurd to even think that we would want to talk to ThunderClan," Swoopstrike sniffed, turning to Dappledpelt. "I've met smarter squirrels. They would hold a conversation better."

The ThunderClan patrol let out a few loud growls and angry yowls.

"Hey!" Dappledpelt snapped, whipping her head around to shoot a scorching look at the ThunderClan cats. "We are having a private conversation over here! Eavesdropping is very rude!"

"I've had enough of this mockery!" Acornear snarled, his brown fur bristling out. "Get them!"

The ThunderClan patrol went charging across the thunderpath, yowling battlecries.

"Drive the intruders back!" Swoopstrike yowled just as the ThunderClan patrol made their final bounds across the thunderpath and into ShadowClan territory.

The cats clashed together. Frostpaw barely had time to think before she threw herself at the ginger she-cat, hissing. This scuffle was close-quarters, trapped right at the edge of the thunderpath, and very heated. Unlike the battle against WindClan, there was no plan, no grand strategy, just cat versus cat— scratching, hissing, biting. Frostpaw growled as the ginger she-cat cut her shoulder with her claws, and she retaliated by springing on to the ginger cat's back, digging her claws into her flanks and biting at her scruff. Before the fight could even truly begin though, a loud voice came ringing across the thunderpath.

 _"What is the meaning of this!"_ The voice thundered.

The ThunderClan cats scrambled away from the ShadowClan cats in shock, retreating towards the thunderpath and turning their heads towards the voice. Swoopstrike made to follow them with a growl, but Dappledpelt halted him with a twitch of her tail, her cautious, yet curious gaze telling the ShadowClan patrol to hold.

Over in ThunderClan territory, a tall pale grey tom stood at the edge of the thunderpath with bristling fur, two other ThunderClan cats at his side. Frostpaw realized with a jolt that the grey tom was Morningstar, ThunderClan's leader.

"Morningstar, we—" Acornear began.

"Why in StarClan's name is my deputy on ShadowClan territory?" Morningstar snarled furiously, and Frostpaw saw spittle flying from his lips. "Don't we have enough to deal with, with WindClan and SkyClan without you turning ShadowClan against us too? What's next? Are you going to go fishing on RiverClan territory and tell them we own the river now?"

Acornear's ears flattened, and he looked like he wanted to crawl out of his own skin rather than continue to be scolded by his leader in front of a ShadowClan patrol.

"They were mocking us, Morningstar!" Acornear protested. "I couldn't let what they were saying stand—"

"The health of my clan is more important to me than your fragile pride, Acornear," Morningstar cut him off, each word growled out through clenched fangs. "I've dragged my name through the mud for ThunderClan, and I would do much worse if it means our clan's survival. Now. _Get. Back. Over. Here."_

"Let them go," Dappledpelt muttered to their patrol.

With flattened ears and drooped tails, the ThunderClan patrol went ashamedly running back across the thunderpath.

"Ha, mouse-hearts," Swoopstrike spat under his breath as they retreated.

Once all of the ThunderClan warriors were safely back on their side of the thunderpath, Morningstar turned to address the ShadowClan warriors.

"Give Sedgestar my sincerest apologies," Morningstar meowed, his chin raised, and his deep voice more composed. "My warriors were acting out of turn, against my wishes. And, I will ensure that it will _not_ happen again."

"We will see what Sedgestar has to say about this," Swoopstrike responded haughtily, striding towards the edge of the thunderpath with his tail kinked and bushed out behind him. "But, we will pass on your message."

Morningstar nodded, then with a flick of his tail, indicating for his cats to follow, he turned and vanished into the undergrowth. Swoopstrike relaxed his aggressive posturing as the ThunderClan scent faded, lowering his tail to swish it thoughtfully behind him.

"Interesting," Dewleaf said.

"Very," Dappledpelt mused before turning to look at Mosspaw and Frostpaw.

"Is anyone hurt?" she asked.

Frostpaw shook her head. The cut on her shoulder stung a little, but it was only a scratch. Frostpaw turned to give the scratch a quick rasping with her tongue to clean it. Mosspaw also shook her head; her pelt was still bristled out, but it looked unmarked.

"Let's finish this border then then head back to camp," Swoopstrike said, turning to lead the patrol down the tree-line, remarking bushes and trunks to drown out any remnants of ThunderClan scent.

"No, if no one is really hurt, we can finish the patrol and do the WindClan border too," Dappledpelt protested, following him. "You saw how cowed they all were by Morningstar, there's no need to rush back to Sedgestar about this."

"What if it was a ploy?" Swoopstrike growled from over his shoulder. "To make us lower our guard and think that they aren't planning to attack?"

"You think ThunderClan is able to plan that much ahead?" Dewleaf said with a scoff, padding over to them. "You said it yourself, most squirrels are smarter."

"Still they're up to something," Swoopstrike muttered.

"Acornear was picking up crowfood," Frostpaw added.

Swoopstrike locked her in his intense gaze, and Frostpaw swallowed nervously.

"So?" he asked.

"So… he was doing that before he saw us, which means that they were actually planning on eating it right?" Frostpaw murmured quietly.

"They are short on prey," Dappledpelt agreed, nodding approvingly at Frostpaw. "And, therefore weak and not a threat."

" _Or,_ desperate _and_ a threat," Swoopstrike argued, his chin jutting out stubbornly.

"Morningstar seemed genuine to me when he said that he didn't want to provoke us," Dappledpelt said with a shrug. "But, really it's Sedgestar's opinion on it that really matters. Which is why we'll tell him about this. _After_ we finish our patrol."

Swoopstrike huffed.

"Fine," he grumbled, relenting.

"ThunderClan doesn't seem to be doing well," Mosspaw meowed to Frostpaw as the patrol continued down the border.

"Prey ran poorly for ThunderClan during leaf-bare," Frostpaw said. "And, it doesn't sound like they've recovered yet."

"Why?" Mosspaw asked, tilting her head inquisitively. "It's green-leaf now. Their forest should be filled with prey."

Frostpaw shrugged, unable to answer her.

Prey was running well in ShadowClan at least, and after the group finished the uneventful patrol down the WindClan border, Swoopstrike and Dappledpelt allowed their apprentices to hunt a bit on their way back to camp. Frostpaw caught a mouse and Mosspaw caught a frog. Dappledpelt seemed as delighted as Mosspaw at her apprentice's catch, although Swoopstrike hissed something about frogs being the slowest and stupidest prey, making them the easiest to get and a newborn kitten could probably catch one.

"How do you put up with him being like this all the time?" Mosspaw muttered quietly to Frostpaw around the frog in her mouth as the patrol made their way back to camp, shooting Swoopstrike's back a fierce look.

Frostpaw's fur prickled slightly, and she felt an odd urge to defend her mentor. Swoopstrike was prickly and difficult and even mean sometimes, yes. But, he had come to her rescue more than one time, and Frostpaw sensed his heart was good, underneath all of the thorns he cloaked it with.

"The ThunderClan thing is putting him on edge," Frostpaw whispered back. "He's normally not this bad."

Mosspaw just shrugged, her expression looking like she didn't entirely believe Frostpaw.

Soon the patrol reached the thorny barrier that surrounded the camp, and pushed their way through the tunnel to go inside. Frostpaw winced as a thorn caught a tangle of her long fur and she lost a clump of it to the plant. The patrol dropped off the few pieces of prey that they brought back at the fresh-kill pile before Dappledpelt and Swoopstrike turned to search the camp for Sedgestar. Frostpaw spotted their leader near the entrance to the medicine cat's den at the base of Clanrock, chatting with Clearstream and Grovepelt as the three of them lounged in a pool of mid-day sunlight.

"How convenient. The medicine cat and the deputy are already here too," Dappledpelt said as she motioned for Swoopstrike to follow her towards Sedgestar.

"You two take care of that," Dewleaf said with a yawn. "I'm going to take a nap."

"Are we supposed to wait here?" Mosspaw whispered to Frostpaw as their mentors padded off towards their leader.

Frostpaw shrugged and crept forward to follow Swoopstrike, overcome by curiosity about what they would talk about. Mosspaw shadowed her. The apprentices hung back a tail-length from the group as Dappledpelt and Swoopstrike walked right up to Sedgestar.

"Sedgestar, Grovepelt," Swoopstrike said.

Grovepelt's half-closed eyes blinked open and he turned a gaze bleary with sleep onto Swoopstrike. Sedgestar halted his conversation with Clearstream, blinking an inquisitive gaze at the warrior. Swoopstrike took this look as an invitation to continue.

"There was a confrontation with ThunderClan at the border today," Swoopstrike growled.

"Is anyone hurt?" Clearstream asked, sweeping her sharp gaze over the pelts of Dappledpelt and Swoopstrike before gazing over at Mosspaw and Frostpaw.

"Only shallow scratches. We're all fine," Dappledpelt replied.

"What happened?" Sedgestar said in his deep voice.

"We saw ThunderClan, led by Acornear, sniffing around really closely to their side of the thunderpath. It looked like they were collecting crow-food to eat. We engaged them in conversation, which annoyed them, and they crossed the thunderpath to attack," Swoopstrike said. "But, they were quickly ordered back to their territory by Morningstar, who appeared with a different patrol, although they weren't happy to retreat. And, he apologized for their behavior, saying that it went against his wishes."

"They were planning on eating crow-food, you said?" Grovepelt reiterated, his brow furrowed in confusion.

"That's what it looked like, yes," Dappledpelt confirmed.

"Hm," Grovepelt said, exchanging a look with Sedgestar.

Frostpaw saw thoughts flickering in their gazes like minnows, as if the leader and deputy were having a silent conversation.

"I believe Morningstar when he says he doesn't not intend to attack us," Sedgestar said after the thoughtful silence, turning to look back at Swoopstrike.

"So you don't think they are a threat?" Swoopstrike asked, his green gaze intense.

One of Sedgestar's ears flicked back.

"…I didn't say that," Sedgestar continued slowly. "Morningstar is a very candid cat. That doesn't mean that he doesn't keep secrets, but when he says something, he means it. Do you remember when he admitted ThunderClan was starving, and asked for territory to hunt in last leaf-bare? Can you imagine any other leader saying that?"

Swoopstrike and Dappledpelt shook their heads.

"So, what are you saying, Sedgestar?" Dappledpelt asked.

"I think ThunderClan is having some sort of problem," Sedgestar said. "And, they don't want to add us to the list."

Sedgestar turned to look at Clearstream.

"Has StarClan sent you any sort of warning?" he asked her.

The medicine cat shook her head.

"No, Sedgestar. They haven't delivered any prophecies since I saw the vision of the owl during leaf-bare," Clearstream said.

Sedgestar nodded thoughtfully.

"If the situation was dire for us, I think that our ancestors would warn us," he said. "So, the question then becomes: will ThunderClan's problem become our problem, or will they think that attacking us will solve their problem?"

"Morningstar mentioned something about 'dealing with' SkyClan and WindClan," Swoopstrike added his tail jutting up in excitement.

"Ah, Fennelstar and Rabbitstar. I should have suspected," Sedgestar said, his ears flattening.

"I think Rabbitstar will calm down with time," Grovepelt spoke up. "He is inexperienced and hot-headed, but not stupid. After we defeated him in battle, I'm sure he will have been knocked down from his high perch. Green-leaf has only just begun—the moors will be full of rabbits, and he will realize that he has nothing to gain by antagonizing ThunderClan. Or, us for that matter. They don't even like being on territory under trees anyway."

Sedgestar nodded along in agreement.

"Fennelstar, on the other paw, has always been territory hungry since the moment he became leader," Grovepelt said. "And, it doesn't help that SkyClan territory and ThunderClan territory are so closely matched; they feel right home in it. Leaf-bare hit ThunderClan hard, and if SkyClan has not relented with pushing at their border, it is no surprise to me that ThunderClan is still struggling to find food."

"Yes, as difficult as it might be for poor Morningstar, I have always been grateful to have ThunderClan as a buffer between us and Fennelstar," Sedgestar said with a soft growl. "I don't think for a moment that he wouldn't try to sink his teeth into our pines, if he was close enough to reach."

"So, what should we do?" Dappledpelt asked, her tail twitching anxiously.

"We watch and wait for now," Sedgestar said. "In the meanwhile, I will shift our focus from the WindClan border to the ThunderClan. I believe Morningstar when he says that he doesn't want to attack us. But, if this skirmish is any indiction, his warriors, and deputy, seem restless and angry. It wouldn't be unthinkable that they go behind their leader's back to find prey in our territory."

Frostpaw's eyes flew wide at the idea. She couldn't imagine for one heartbeat any cat in ShadowClan so blatantly disobeying their leader's orders. Every ShadowClan cat held Sedgestar with the highest regard.

_But, it sounds like other clans don't have as good of a leader as we do…_

"The next gathering will be coming up in only a few sunrises," Sedgestar continued. "We should be able to get a better sense of the state of ThunderClan, and SkyClan, then."

Sedgestar flicked his tail to dismiss Dappledpelt and Swoopstrike. Swoopstrike turned around and his eyes went wide when he saw Frostpaw and Mosspaw standing so closely nearby.

"Were you two here the whole time?" Swoopstrike demanded.

"Relax Swoopstrike," Grovepelt said with a rumbling purr, his eyes already half-lidded with sleep again. "The apprentices are only curious, and this wasn't a private meeting."

Swoopstrike huffed, but didn't reply to the deputy.

"Go get something to eat," he said to Frostpaw. "And, relax for a bit. We'll continue training after sun-high is over."

"Same thing goes for you," Dappledpelt said to Mosspaw.

Frostpaw nodded. She padded over to the fresh-kill pile with Mosspaw. It was full of prey, and Frostpaw's belly rumbled when she spotted a juicy looking startling on the pile. But, as she sniffed at the pile of prey, she noticed Mosspaw watching her out of the corner of her eye, a hopeful expression on the younger apprentice's face. Frostpaw diverted away from the startling and picked up the frog Mosspaw had caught earlier.

"Mmm this looks great," Frostpaw said, blinking affectionately at Mosspaw.

Mosspaw's tail stuck up in delight, a purr rumbling in her throat. Mosspaw chose a shrew for herself and the two apprentices took their prey to a patch of sunlight on the ground to eat. As Frostpaw took the first bite of fresh-kill, she felt a little pang that she hadn't picked the startling, but as the days passed, the taste of frog was growing on her at least. As they ate, Frostpaw saw Autumnpaw returning from training with Beeclaw. Frostpaw waved her tail to get his attention, and Autumnpaw headed over to them after grabbing a piece of prey off the pile for himself.

"Hey Frostpaw, hey Mosspaw," he said after dropping his prey and plopping down next to Frostpaw. "How was your dawn patrol?"

 _"So_ exciting!" Mosspaw exclaimed. "We got into a fight with ThunderClan!"

"Woah really?" Autumnpaw asked, around a mouthful of meat, his eyes wide.

He nudged Frostpaw's shoulder.

"Why do you manage to always get in trouble without me there?" he teased.

"It was barely a fight," Frostpaw added. "Morningstar called them back right away. He wasn't happy with his warriors."

"Then we talked to Sedgestar about it!" Mosspaw continued, her words spilling out of her mouth rapidly. "He thinks SkyClan and ThunderClan are fighting and that's why ThunderClan is being so weird. And, that the gathering is soon, and we'll try to figure out more then. It's so exciting! I hope I get to go! I'll try to talk to as many ThunderClan and SkyClan cats as possible. It'll be like being a spy!"

"That does sound interesting," Autumnpaw said, his tail-tip twitching thoughtfully. "I hope I'm chosen to go this next gathering."

"Me too," Frostpaw added. "I'd like to see what happens."

But, as Frostpaw spoke she felt her thoughts turning away from the ThunderClan and SkyClan mystery and drifting towards another mystery surrounding just one cat— Paledusk, the SkyClan deputy. In her mind, she saw the white tom's wide-eyed gaze as he looked at her, the horrified recognition sweeping across his face like a wave.

Frostpaw's pelt prickled. Her thoughts had mostly been distracted by training for this past moon, but she hadn't forgotten about him. She couldn't shake the feeling that he knew something about her or her mother, something more than he was letting on at least.

_I'll talk to him next gathering._

Frostpaw felt her belly go tight with nerves at the thought, but she knew she had to do it. It would bother her forever like a thorn in her side if she was too much of a coward to talk to Paledusk.

"What are you thinking about?" Autumnpaw asked as he finished his fresh-kill, nudging her side as she stared emptily out into space.

Frostpaw shook her head like she was trying to shake off her thoughts.

"SkyClan," she meowed, semi-truthfully. "I just… want to know what's going on."

"Well, they are pretty far away from ShadowClan. So, hopefully whatever it is, it won't matter to us," Autumnpaw said with a yawn, lowering his head onto his paws.

Frostpaw sighed quietly as she thought of Paledusk.

She hoped Autumnpaw was right.

Frostpaw glanced over at him and watched as Autumnpaw was lulled to sleep by the warm sunlight. Even Mosspaw had grown quiet after she had filled her belly with food, and the soporific effect of sun-high crept over her. Soon Frostpaw was the only one left awake.


	12. Sun-high

It was sun-high, the day before the gathering. Frostpaw lounged in a patch of sunlight at the edge of camp near the thorn bush that sheltered the nursery, thrown across the warmed earth so her fur could soak up all of the heat. Autumnpaw sat at her side, grooming his ears. A few tail lengths to Frostpaw's left, Mosspaw and Murmurpaw were engaged in eager conversation, and a little ways to Frostpaw's right, Poolpaw, Pinepaw, and Dewleaf were chatting and having some fresh-kill. Frostpaw's eyes drifted half-way shut as the warmth from the sunlight made her sleepy, but her ears stayed pricked as she listened to her neighbors' conversations.

Sedgestar had announced the gathering patrol only moments before. Frostpaw and Autumnpaw had not been picked, although Pinepaw and Poolpaw would be going, as well as Dewleaf. Dewleaf seemed excited to attend her first gathering as a warrior. Mosspaw and Murmurpaw had also been chosen, and the sisters were both very eager to attend their first gatherings at all.

"I'm going to talk to as many cats as possible," Mosspaw was saying now. "But, especially SkyClan and ThunderClan cats. I'll be the one to figure out what's going on with them!"

"There was a SkyClan apprentice that I talked to last gathering, Larchpaw, I think is her name," Frostpaw said, opening her eyes. "She was nice. You should try to talk to her, if she is there."

"Good idea!" Mosspaw said with an excited nod.

Frostpaw purred and nodded back, but her mind had already drifted to Paledusk. She was disappointed that she wouldn't be able to talk to him this gathering. Now she would have to wait a whole other moon before she would be able to see him and talk to him about how he knew May. Frostpaw huffed.

_That feels like forever from now._

"What's wrong?" Autumnpaw asked, picking up on her annoyance.

"You know," Frostpaw muttered.

"Yeah, I'm disappointed that we don't get to go to the gathering too," Autumnpaw admitted. "But, it's not like Sedgestar can take every cat to the gathering every time. And, besides, there will be other full moons. We have our whole lives of gatherings to look forward to!"

"Do my ears deceive me, or do I hear Autumnpaw being reasonable for once?" Pinepaw's snarky voice cut in.

Frostpaw looked over at her. The she-cat had finished her food, and while Poolpaw and Dewleaf were still deep in some conversation with each other, she was looking over at Frostpaw and Autumnpaw with an unbearably smug look on her face.

"For once? I'm reasonable a lot," Autumnpaw argued, turning to glare at his sister.

"Ha. Are not," Pinepaw said with an amused huff.

"Well I'm also glad that I don't have to spend all night with you, you annoying fur-ball," Autumnpaw said, swatting a nearby twig in Pinepaw's direction. She ducked it, and it hit Poolpaw smack in the back of the head.

" _HEY,"_ Poolpaw said, whirling around to rake Autumnpaw with a look that was as sharp as claws, and Pinepaw choked back loud purrs at the chaos unfolding before her.

"Run!" Autumnpaw yelped, giving Frostpaw a nudge and springing to his paws.

"Me?! I didn't do anything!" Frostpaw protested, but she obediently scrambled to her feet.

"You were sitting next to me, which makes you an accomplice!" Autumnpaw shouted over his shoulder as he booked it across camp.

Frostpaw was hot on his heels, and Poolpaw only a tail-length behind her.

"Faster Frostpaw!" Autumnpaw panted, dodging around warriors sleeping in patches of sunshine. "If he catches us, he'll sit on us until we're flatter than a leaf!"

"Climb the Oak Tree!" Frostpaw said through her panting breaths.

They sprinted over to it, Autumnpaw leading the way. Frostpaw took a flying leap at it, hooking her claws securely into the bark of the trunk. Tree climbing had always come naturally to her, and with only a few bounds of her powerful hind-legs, she had overtaken Autumnpaw and was fox-lengths up the trunk. Poolpaw frustratedly paced at the bottom of the tree as Frostpaw settled on a branch with Autumnpaw a few limbs below her.

"As soon as you come down here, Autumnpaw, I'll throw not just a twig, but a whole bramble bush in your face!" Poolpaw said, glaring up at his brother.

"I'd like to see you try!" Autumnpaw challenged, tauntingly lolling his tongue out at Poolpaw.

Pinepaw sauntered over to Poolpaw, with Dewleaf, Mosspaw, and Murmurpaw following her, all four of them purring so loudly Frostpaw could hear them from her perch all the way up in the tree.

"What's all this commotion?!" a voice snapped.

Frostpaw's heart sank rapidly as she recognized the arrogant voice, her amusement evaporating like a shallow pool of water on a blistering day.

Dampfang pushed his way out of the warriors' den, his fur still ruffled with sleep, and his green eyes narrowed in annoyance as he took in the scene. He strode over to the group at the base of the tree, his chest puffed out and muzzle angled upwards disdainfully.

"I can't believe you all, running around camp—" Dampfang said to Poolpaw, before looking up at Frostpaw and Autumnpaw. "And, climbing trees like kits!"

"Well we can't all be as virtuous as you, Dampfang," Autumnpaw said in a mocking voice. "Imagine, if I also had your personality, we would have to make camp ten times bigger just so it could hold both of our egos. How inconvenient would that be?"

"Hilarious, Autumnpaw," Dampfang sneered. "I mean, I know you are _only_ apprentices, but, Poolpaw, Autumnpaw, as _ShadowClan_ cats, I expected better."

Frostpaw felt anger starting to simmer deep down in her belly as she noticed he deliberately didn't call her out.

_I guess as a "non-clan" cat, I can't help my immature "kit-like" nature._

Frostpaw briefly allowed herself to fantasize about knocking a branch down onto Dampfang's head.

_"Sorry. Being non-clan born makes me horribly clumsy."_

"Ugh, put your claws away Dampfang," Dewleaf's voice cut in, pulling Frostpaw from her thoughts.

"Yeah," Pinepaw added. "It's sun-high so we don't have to hunt or patrol. We were just having some fun."

"Were you involved in this?" Dampfang asked Pinepaw, narrowing his eyes at her. "I expected better from you."

Frostpaw thought Pinepaw seemed to deflate some. But, Frostpaw's gaze was quickly pulled from the black-furred she-cat when she spotted new movement at the roots of the Oak Tree. Sedgestar emerged from the tunnel leading down into his den, his sharp eyes quickly taking in the scene before him before flicking up towards Frostpaw and Autumnpaw in the tree and settling on them.

"I thought I heard voices out here. Not sleepy this sun-high?" Sedgestar quipped.

Autumnpaw and Frostpaw mutely shook their heads. Frostpaw felt herself tense as she prepared for the possibility of a scolding from their clan leader. But, Sedgestar just turned aside, and Frostpaw thought she spotted his whiskers faintly twitching in amusement.

"If you are going to the gathering, make sure you don't wear yourself out too much. I don't want my cats falling asleep during the other clan's announcements. That'll seem rude," Sedgestar said over his shoulder as he padded off towards the fresh-kill pile.

"But, Sedgestar! Autumnpaw and Frostpaw are in the Oak Tree!" Dampfang protested as Sedgestar padded away.

"I noticed," Sedgestar said drily as he continued to walk away.

Dampfang huffed, but knowing there was nothing more that he could do, he too whipped around and stalked off, heading back into the warriors' den.

The mood was dampened by the confrontation with Dampfang, like a grey cloud had drifted over the group. Poolpaw backed away from the base of the tree, giving Autumnpaw and Frostpaw space to scramble down. When Frostpaw reached the ground, she gave her pelt a shake, wishing she could shake off this frosty interaction from her pelt as easily as she could water.

"Leave it to Dampfang to suck all the fun out of everything," Autumnpaw muttered bitterly.

"Tell me about it," Poolpaw said, sticking his tongue out and screwing his face up in a disgusted expression.

"Hey, shut up!" Pinepaw hissed, whipping around to glare at her brothers.

The smug, self-satisfied amusement that had been on her face earlier was replaced with hot anger, although Frostpaw thought she could detect a bit of hurt swirling in the amber depths of her eyes as well.

"What! It's true!" Autumnpaw protested.

"You frog-brains! It's your fault that Dampfang is mad at me now!" Pinepaw spat.

"What are you meowing on about? He was the one that ruined it. I'm pretty sure you were having just as much fun as we were, until _he_ showed up," Autumnpaw growled.

"Was not," Pinepaw growled back, her fur bristling. "I was just watching."

Frostpaw spotted Dewleaf, Mosspaw and Murmurpaw slowly backing away from the bristling siblings as the argument between them heated up. Frostpaw wished she could edge away as well, but she was trapped with the Oak Tree behind her, and her two snarling den-mates in front of her. Poolpaw and Frostpaw's eyes met, and they shared a concerned look.

"You all were acting like kits!" Pinepaw spat.

"Is that what you really think, or are you just saying that because Dampfang did?" Autumnpaw asked, his tail twitching.

"I can think for myself," Pinepaw growled, taking an aggressive step forward so she and Autumnpaw stood nose to nose.

"Come on, let's just calm down…" Poolpaw said hesitantly, but his siblings barreled on.

"Can you though?" Autumnpaw retorted back, ignoring Poolpaw's interruption, putting on a taunting falsetto. " _'Oh, Dampfang, said that. Oh, Dampfang did that.'_ You never shut up about him."

"Don't mock me," Pinepaw snarled, her amber eyes narrowing into furious slits. "This is just what I was talking about. You're so immature Autumnpaw; you'll never become a warrior at this rate."

"If Dampfang is so much better than me, then why are you wasting your time hanging out with us!" Autumnpaw shouted. "Well, fine then! I hope I never see your stupid frog-face around me again! _I don't want you here!"_

Pinepaw's eyes went wide, and she blinked hard at Autumnpaw—shock, hurt, and anger clearly written across her face.

"What's going on here?" Grovepelt's stern voice broke in.

He was padding over to the group of apprentices, drawn in by the yowling.

"Nothing!" Pinepaw said, quickly choking the word out before whirling around and dashing around Poolpaw to charge towards the apprentice's den, her black pelt disappearing under the holly bush.

"ShadowClan does not fight within itself," Grovepelt said to Autumnpaw, locking the apprentice in a firm gaze.

Autumnpaw just shrugged, staring down at the ground with his chin set mutinously, not responding to the deputy. As Frostpaw watched the still shaking branches of the holly bush, she felt her stomach slightly twist in sympathy for Pinepaw.

"You went too far," she muttered to Autumnpaw as Grovepelt padded away again.

"What! _Me?"_ Autumnpaw said, turning to look at Frostpaw with wide eyes. "You're not on my side? Are you seriously defending her and Dampfang? When he's always so horrible to you?!"

"I'm not on anybody's side," Frostpaw muttered, her tail-tip twitching slightly. "I'm just saying you were a bit mean to Pinepaw."

Autumnpaw just huffed.

"And, how many times has she been mean to me? Or, you?" he muttered.

Frostpaw's tail twitched, but she didn't respond. Frostpaw padded away from him, heading towards the apprentices' den. She hesitated at the entrance for a few heartbeats before pushing her way inside. Frostpaw blinked as her eyes adjusted to the dim interior of the den. Pinepaw was alone in the den, curled up in her nest, covering her face with her paws.

"Go away," Pinepaw growled without uncovering her eyes.

"I…I just wanted to make sure that you were okay," Frostpaw muttered. "And, say that I know Autumnpaw didn't mean what he said…"

"Why do you care, frog-brain?" Pinepaw snapped, uncovering her eyes with her paws to glare over at Frostpaw. "It's not like you ever liked me anyway."

Frostpaw blinked, her brow furrowing.

 _I never liked_ you? _You never liked me!_

But, Frostpaw clenched her jaw to bite back the words. Pinepaw's gaze narrowed at Frostpaw like she had somehow seen her thoughts.

"Whatever," Pinepaw growled, turning away from Frostpaw. "Just leave me alone."

_Fine._

Frostpaw's tail twitched, and she turned, pushing her way back out of the den.

Frostpaw gave her pelt a shake as she entered back into the sunlight. She saw Autumnpaw and Poolpaw had moved across camp, and were sitting in the shadows cast by the thorn thicket that surrounded camp. Frostpaw gazed over at them, hoping that Autumnpaw wasn't also mad at her now like Pinepaw was. Frostpaw sighed.

_Why do Autumnpaw and Pinepaw always have to fight? Wouldn't everyone be happier if they could just go a day without ruffling each other's fur?_

Frostpaw took a deep breath of the warm air, letting it soothe her as she steeled herself to walk over to Autumnpaw and Poolpaw.

"Lizardkit! Watch where you're going!"

Snakeeyes' voice rang across the clearing as Lizardkit came barreling in front of Frostpaw, nearly crashing into her as he shot after a moss-ball. Frostpaw stumbled slightly as she swerved around the small, pure-white kit. Lizardkit showed no sign of stopping though, until he finished the chase and caught the moss-ball. He gave a squeak of victory as he pounced on it, whirling around to gaze up at Frostpaw with the scrap of moss hanging from his mouth, his bright blue eyes gleaming in delight. He trotted over to Frostpaw, his tail stuck up proudly, the moss-ball dangling from his jaws like it was some great catch that he wanted to show off to her.

Autumnpaw and Pinepaw's argument forgotten at the appearance of the kit, Frostpaw peered down at Lizardkit, purring encouragingly at him. Snakeeyes kits were all around one moon now, and they seemed to be turning into very boisterous little things. They had just recently starting exploring the camp, and Lizardkit seemed to be the boldest of the three.

"I told you three to keep your play close to the nursery!" Frostpaw could hear Snakeeyes scolding her kits. "You'll just be under-paw if you play in the middle of camp!"

"Sorry!" Featherkit squeaked, her words still having a kit-like lisp, like her mouth hadn't quite mastered the art of speaking yet. "I hit it too hard!"

"Lizardkit, come back over here!" Snakeeyes called.

Lizardkit had dropped the moss-ball on the ground in front of him and Frostpaw and had been batting it back and forth between his front paws. But, he seemed to ignore his mother's call, and instead he tilted his head up to gaze deliberately into Frostpaw's eyes. With a wave of his paw, he made a gesture like he was going to hit the moss-ball, but Frostpaw watched as he seemed to intentionally miss the ball before sitting back, curling his tail around his paws, looking up at her expectantly.

"It sounds like your mom wants you, Lizardkit," Frostpaw said.

Lizardkit tilted his head at her, his gaze carefully trained on her mouth. Lizardkit looked back down, and Frostpaw thought he would get up, but again he just carefully mimed hitting the moss-ball before looking back up at Frostpaw.

Frostpaw's brow furrowed.

"I can't play with you right now. Your mom is calling for you," Frostpaw repeated.

Lizardkit sighed and flopped dramatically onto the ground, going back to hitting the moss-ball between his front paws, but doing so a bit more subduedly this time.

Snakeeyes padded over to them. Lizardkit's gaze flickered over to her as she approached, but he still didn't get to his paws or come over to her.

"Come on. Back to the nursery, you," Snakeeyes said, nosing her son to his paws with her muzzle.

Lizardkit made sure to snatch the moss-ball back up in his mouth as he got to his feet. Snakeeyes nudged him towards the nursery. Lizardkit took a few steps in that direction before turning to look back at Snakeeyes.

 _"Go,"_ Snakeeyes said with a firm nod.

Lizardkit continued on towards the nursery, his slow steps turning into a quicker trot as he approached his siblings, who greeted him with excited squeaks as he pounced on his brother Yewkit, and the three of them went scampering back into the darkness under the thorn bush.

Snakeeyes sighed as her kits disappeared into the nursery.

"Sorry if Lizardkit was bothering you, Frostpaw," she said, her brow furrowed.

"No, it's fine," Frostpaw said, studying the worried look on the queen's face. "Is something wrong, Snakeeyes?"

Snakeeyes hesitated for a moment.

"I'm sure it's nothing…" she meowed slowly. "But, I'm just worried about Lizardkit. He hardly listens, and he's been taking longer than his siblings to learn to talk. When I speak to him, I'm not even sure if he understands what I'm saying at all half the time."

Snakeeyes shifted her weight from paw to paw like just speaking her fears out loud made her uneasy.

"I just hope that he's not sick… or something isn't… wrong…" she muttered.

"He seems bright and curious to me," Frostpaw said quickly, trying to reassure the queen. "But, if you are worried, why don't you have Clearstream take a look a him and check?"

"Yeah, maybe I will ask Clearstream to make sure that he's healthy," Snakeeyes said, sounding slightly relieved. "In fact, I'll go get her now. Do you mind keeping an eye on my kits for a moment?"

The three of them had wandered back out of the nursery, but were wrestling close to the entrance of the thorn bush.

"Ok," Frostpaw said.

"Thank you, I'll be back in just a flick of a tail," Snakeeyes said, padding quickly over towards Clanrock, and the medicine cat's den that it sheltered.

Frostpaw padded over to the kits. They were so busy playing with each other and scraps of moss that they hadn't even noticed their mother walking away.

Lizardkit was the first to notice Frostpaw approaching them. He tilted his head back to look over at her from his perch on top of his brother's back. Yewkit was pinned to the ground beneath him, his silver striped fur writhing as he tried to escape his brother's grip.

"Who are you?" Featherkit chirped to Frostpaw, dropping the moss-ball she had been playing with and bounding excitingly over to her.

"I'm Frostpaw," she said.

"Wow, you're an apprentice? Mom says that cats that have 'paw' in their name means they're apprentices," Yewkit said, stumbling to his paws after Lizardkit finally let him up.

"Yep, that's right," Frostpaw said.

"Have you fought a lot?" Featherkit asked, her eyes wide.

"I've been in one battle against WindClan," Frostpaw said. "And, a few border scraps."

Yewkit and Featherkit squealed excitedly at her answer, leaping around. Frostpaw glanced over at Lizardkit. He hadn't let out the same excited noises as his siblings, but when they started leaping around, his ears pricked in excitement, and he too rose to his paws.

"Does Lizardkit talk much?" Frostpaw asked Featherkit and Yewkit as they settled down some, her brow furrowing in slight concerned as she looked at the all white kitten.

"No. He doesn't like to talk," Featherkit said in a matter-of-fact voice.

After his siblings had stopped jumping around, Lizardkit had sat back down. Now he was watching Featherkit's mouth move as she talked with a slight head-tilt in the same way he had watched Frostpaw talk earlier.

"Why don't you like to talk, Lizardkit?" Frostpaw asked him.

Lizardkit didn't look at her. He was still staring at his sister.

"He doesn't understand," Yewkit said. "You have to go like this."

Yewkit waved his tail. Lizardkit's gaze snapped from his sister to him. Yewkit nodded towards Frostpaw, and Lizardkit's gaze moved to her. Lizardkit's ears pricked in attention, and he gave Frostpaw a happy blink, letting out a quiet, inquisitive _"mrrow?"_ noise. He rose to his paws, picking up the moss-ball Featherkit had dropped, and trotted over to Frostpaw, carrying it over to her. He dropped it on the ground in front of her, and mimed hitting the ball as he had done earlier.

Frostpaw's brow furrowed in confusion.

"You want me to hit it right?" she asked.

Lizardkit again watched her speak, but didn't respond. Frostpaw slowly reached a paw out, and sent the moss-ball flying with a firm hit.

Lizardkit went shooting after the ball, making a big leap to snatch it out of the air before it got too far away. He trotted back with it quickly, his tail stuck up in excitement. He dropped the moss-ball again at Frostpaw's feet, and made the same gesture of hitting the ball, his blue eyes sparkling with excitement. Frostpaw hit the ball again for him. As she did, Lizardkit whirled around in an excited circle before charging after the ball. Frostpaw purred at the little kit's exuberance, feeling the concern she had felt before about him melting away. He was a bit odd, yes, but it seemed clear that Snakeeyes' worries were unfounded. He was still a happy, healthy kit.

As Lizardkit came trotting back with the moss-ball, Snakeeyes came walking over as well, with Clearstream in tow.

"Hello, Frostpaw," Clearstream purred in her delicate voice as she padded up to her and the kits. "How have you been doing?"

"I'm well, Clearstream," Frostpaw said with a respectful head dip to the medicine cat.

"Thanks for watching them," Snakeeyes said, settling down as her kits ran over to her, casting curious glances at Clearstream.

"Who are you?" Featherkit said in her squeaky voice, and Frostpaw couldn't help but purr slightly as she parroted the same inquisitive question that she had asked Frostpaw only a few moments before to Clearstream.

"I'm one of your medicine cats," Clearstream said with a warm purr. "My name is Clearstream."

"Are you here to play with us?" Yewkit asked excitedly. "Frostpaw was playing with us."

"I'm here to see how you three are doing. You said you were playing with Frostpaw. Do you all like to play?" Clearstream asked, her blue eyes shimmering.

"Yes!" Yewkit and Featherkit chorused, leaping around excitedly.

Lizardkit leapt to his paws, watching his siblings with an equally excited gaze.

"What about you, Lizardkit?" Clearstream asked, turning to look at the white tom.

He didn't respond, his gaze still on his siblings.

"He likes to play the best!" Yewkit answered for Lizardkit. "Look!"

Yewkit sprung at Lizardkit, and the two went tumbling both letting out excited squeaks.

"Ok, that's enough you two," Snakeeyes said.

Yewkit disentangled himself, but Lizardkit still tried to grapple his brother.

"Mom said we have to stop," Yewkit said, giving Lizardkit a slight push away.

Lizardkit settled down at his brother's words, turning to lick down a piece of ruffled fur on his side.

"Lizardkit," Clearstream said. "Can you tell me the names of your bother and sister?"

Lizardkit didn't look up from grooming his side. Frostpaw noticed Lizardkit's siblings began to shift uneasily as the moments stretched on and on, and all the while Clearstream's gaze continued to be locked on Lizardkit, and he continued to remain seemingly oblivious to her question. It looked like that while a few moments before, the kits had just been excited to meet Clearstream, a new cat, now they seemed to sense that she was here for a reason, and that something might be wrong.

"Why does that matter?" Yewkit finally piped up.

"Yeah, he knows who we are!" Featherkit chimed in.

Featherkit flicked her tail at Lizardkit, and he snapped his head up from grooming his side, blinking curiously at his sister.

"Right, Lizardkit?" Featherkit squeaked. "You know who we are!"

Featherkit flicked her tail at herself and at Yewkit as she spoke. Lizardkit let out a quiet _"mrrow!"_ and padded over to them, giving both of his siblings an affectionate head-bump before flopping on the ground next to them and picking his grooming back up.

"Of course he does," Clearstream said reassuringly to the kits, but Frostpaw noticed a shadow of sadness creeping into her gaze.

Snakeeyes was gazing at Clearstream in concern. Clearstream inclined her head, indicating for Snakeeyes to lean closer to her. Frostpaw's ears pricked to listen in.

"I'm sorry, Snakeeyes," Clearstream murmured in a quiet voice so the kits could not overhear. "I'm afraid that Lizardkit appears to be deaf."

Frostpaw's eyes went wide with shock.

_Deaf?_

"No… He can't…" Snakeeyes said, her mismatched eyes wide.

Frostpaw could see a battle waging in them, between fierce denial that anything could be wrong with her kit, and the obvious truth that was staring her right in her face.

"This is my fault," she growled.

Snakeeyes crumpled over like she had been struck by a physical blow. Clearstream wrapped her fluffy grey-striped tail supportively around the queen as Snakeeyes buried her face in her paws. Frostpaw felt her heart sink down to her stomach.

"What's wrong?" Featherkit demanded, gazing at her pained mother with eyes wide with fear. "What's wrong with Snakeeyes? What does 'deaf' mean?"

The three kits had grown greatly concerned at Snakeeyes sudden collapse, and they clustered tightly together, their small, fluffy faces each furrowed with confusion and fear.

Clearstream sighed quietly, evidently wishing that the kits had not overheard her. Frostpaw's heart twisted in sympathy as she looked at the little kits' frightened faces.

"It's okay," Clearstream said to them in a soothing voice. "Deaf just means… well you know how you can hear with your ears what I'm saying right now? Well… Lizardkit can't do that. He just sees my mouth move with his eyes, but he doesn't hear any sounds from it. It's like his ears are stuffed with so much moss no noise can get through."

"Then we can just take the moss out," Yewkit protested, pressing himself closer to his brother so his silver fur mingled with Lizardkit's white pelt.

"No…" Clearstream sighed again, shaking her head. "I'm afraid it's not that simple, little one. There is no real moss in his ears. They just don't work."

Featherkit's and Yewkit's brows furrowed as her words sunk in. Lizardkit looked back and forth from his siblings to his mother, his face still creased with confusion as he appeared to try to decipher why exactly everyone was so upset. Lizardkit broke away from his siblings, padding up to Snakeeyes and gently nudging her head with his muzzle. Snakeeyes lifted her head with a shaky breath, and Lizardkit rasped his tongue across her cheek, burrowing himself comfortingly against her. Snakeeyes let out a quiet whine and wrapped her forepaws around Lizardkit, pulling him close to her chest. Snakeeyes pressed her face into her kit.

"I'm so sorry, Lizardkit, this is my fault," she repeated.

"You couldn't have known..." Clearstream murmured to her, but Snakeeyes just shook her head fiercely at her words.

"I can't hear out of one ear," Snakeeyes said, spitting the admission out venomously as she locked Clearstream in her mismatched gaze. "But, I never thought one of my kits…"

Snakeeyes' voice lost its anger as she choked up, and she seemed to deflate.

"Snakeeyes!" Rowanheart's voice echoed across camp.

The ginger tom came running up to his mate, his gaze flickering between her curled up form on the ground, the kits, and Clearstream.

"What's wrong? Is someone hurt?" he demanded, his gaze flying to Clearstream.

"No," Snakeeyes murmured, drawing his attention back to her. "It's... Lizardkit is deaf."

Rowanheart's brow furrowed, and his gaze flickered to Lizardkit.

"What? But, he..." Rowanheart started to protest before his voice trailed off as the words sunk in.

Frostpaw saw his gaze darken as he realized that it made sense in the context of his kit's behavior. Snakeeyes growled softly, screwing her eyes shut in pain. Frostpaw stomach clenched to see Snakeeyes so torn up. Frostpaw had always admired her as an amazingly fierce and strong warrior. She would have to be, to be able to deal with Swoopstrike as her littermate, and to fight back against others that judged her on her strange, odd-eyed appearance. Now though, Frostpaw couldn't help but feel like she was intruding, seeing the queen so broken and vulnerable. She felt like she shouldn't be here, involved in this private moment with Snakeeyes, Rowanheart and their kits. But, since Frostpaw was already stuck here in the middle of it, she also felt like she couldn't _not_ say something to try to help Snakeeyes—not when the queen had been so kind to her in the past when she needed it.

"It's okay," Frostpaw murmured hesitantly. "Lizardkit will still be able to hunt. You've seen him chase after that moss-ball! And, I saw that he's always the first to scent anyone coming too! Before anyone else can even hear them."

Snakeeyes gaze flickered back open, and she turned to look at Frostpaw. Frostpaw saw hope begin to glimmer there.

"You're right. He's quick and clever. He understands gestures and signs," Snakeeyes said her words spilling out more and more rapidly as her hope built. "I bet I could teach him more. With enough, we would practically be able to talk to him."

"He already taught me one!" Frostpaw said with a soft purr.

She swatted her paw across the ground like she was hitting an invisible piece of moss.

"That means 'Hit the moss-ball, frog-brain!'" Frostpaw said.

Snakeeyes pushed herself into a sitting position, her eyes gleaming as life seemed to surge back into her. She turned to looked down at Lizardkit, who was peering up at her curiously, noticing the sudden change in her demeanor. Snakeeyes made eye contact with him for a moment, before deliberately swatting her paw across the ground, making the "hitting the moss-ball" gesture. Lizardkit's ears pricked in interest. After a moment of hesitation, he started to pad away from her, over to where the moss-ball had been abandoned a few tail-lengths away. After he took a few steps, he looked at Snakeeyes back over his shoulder, as if to confirm. Snakeeyes nodded at him, purring encouragingly. Lizardkit's blue eyes lit up, and he dashed the remaining distance to the moss-ball, snatching it up and running over to Snakeeyes with it, dropping it on the ground in front of her. Snakeeyes sent the moss-ball flying with a powerful hit, and Lizardkit took off after it with his siblings dashing off after him close behind. The kits' distress seemed to be forgotten, at least for now.

Snakeeyes watched them run with eyes that shone with pride, but Frostpaw noticed that Rowanheart looked much more uneasy.

"Will Lizardkit ever be a full warrior though?" Rowanheart mumbled when the kits had run out of ear-shot.

"Of course," Snakeeyes hissed at him, whipping her head around to lock her mate in a searing blue-and-green gaze. "He will be whatever he wants to be."

Rowanheart's ears flattened, and he didn't protest his mate again, although Frostpaw noticed him and Clearstream exchange an uncertain look.

Frostpaw lightly cleared her throat.

"Um, I better get going," she said. "Sun-high has past, and Swoopstrike will have have my tail if I'm late for training."

"Tell Swoopstrike that if he tries to take your tail, I'll take his whole pelt," Snakeeyes quipped lightly, but her gaze was soft when she looked at Frostpaw. "Thank you for your help today, Frostpaw."

Frostpaw dipped her head to the pair of warriors and the medicine cat, and made a quick departure. But, as Frostpaw pushed her way out of camp, and padded off in the direction of the Burnt Sycamore, she couldn't help but think about poor, little Lizardkit. Frostpaw sighed quietly. She sensed that his journey to be a warrior would be more difficult than even hers.


	13. Night-stalking

Frostpaw blinked awake in the apprentices' den in her nest beside Autumnpaw's at the sound of what she thought was light footfalls from outside the den. Frostpaw peered into the darkness inside the den, trying to see out into the camp through the narrow entrance of the holly bush. All seemed still and quiet; the other apprentices in the den were curled up and sleeping soundly. But, Frostpaw felt the fur on her shoulder's rise. She had a nagging sense something wasn't right. She felt like she was being watched.

Frostpaw prodded Autumnpaw's flank with her hind-leg, her ears pricked, still tensely scanning the den with her gaze.

"Huh, wha—?" Autumnpaw mumbled, stirring, his eyes blearily blinking open.

 _"Shh!"_ Frostpaw hissed at him, flicking her ears to indicate the area around them.

 _"I think something is wrong,"_ she breathed in a barely audible voice. _"I heard paw-steps close to the den."_

Autumnpaw's ears pricked and his gaze flickered warily from side to side.

 _"I don't hear anything,"_ he whispered back. _"It was probably just someone going to the dirt-place."_

Frostpaw clenched her jaw.

 _"I'm going to go look,"_ she muttered.

Frostpaw slowly rose to her paws. Despite Autumnpaw's reassurance that it was nothing, he watched Frostpaw with a wide, worried gaze as she crept over to the entrance of the den. Frostpaw slunk outside, sticking close to the shadows cast by the holly bush as she tensely crouched. Her gaze scanned the clearing. It was a moonless night, so the camp was cast in darkness, illuminated only by the glimmer of a few stars above. Everything seemed quiet and normal. No fear-scent or blood tinged the air, only the comforting ever-present scent of ShadowClan was on the breeze. She didn't hear any movement, and she could see there were no enemy warriors swarming in the shadows.

Frostpaw breathed a soft sigh of relief. Autumnpaw was right. It was nothing.

As Frostpaw started to take a step back into the den, she felt the fur on her back stir in a breeze, then in the next heartbeat, she had been tackled into the ground, rolled away from the den.

"Frost—!" she heard Autumnpaw start to cry as he saw her pounced on, but then he was abruptly silenced.

Frostpaw felt a heavy weight on her back, pinning her to the ground, and she felt a paw pressed to the back of her head as her muzzle was shoved into the damp earth to keep her from yowling out.

Frostpaw's heart hammered in fear as she buckled under her attacker, twisting and writhing to try to escape his paws. Frostpaw surged upwards wildly, and was surprised to feel the grip holding her down suddenly vanish, allowing her to spring unencumbered to her feet. Frostpaw whipped around to face her attacker, tail lashing, her teeth bared…

"Swoopstrike!" Frostpaw hissed, finally recognizing her mentor.

Frostpaw could barely make out Swoopstrike's expression in the darkness, but she could see that his green eyes gleamed with mischievous amusement.

"Finally recognize me, huh? Took you long enough," he said, licking a paw to smugly drag it over his whiskers.

"Why did you do that?" Frostpaw spat, digging her claws into the ground.

Normally she wouldn't dare speak to Swoopstrike so aggressively, but right now she couldn't help it; her blood still felt hot in her veins, ready to fight, and her heart was still racing in her chest.

"I'll explain in a moment," he said, twitching his ears. "But, first, let's go rescue your incompetent den-mates."

Swoopstrike flicked his tail towards the entrance apprentice's den, indicating for Frostpaw to go first. Frostpaw's brow furrowed, but she obeyed, cautiously creeping around Swoopstrike, keeping a half an eye on him to make sure he wasn't going to attack her for a second time.

"Don't worry. I'm not going to pounce on you again," Swoopstrike said, his voice rough with amusement. "At least… not right now."

Frostpaw huffed offendedly and scampered the rest of the way around him, pushing back inside the holly bush. Frostpaw's eyes widened in surprise at the sight that greeted her there. The den was crowded with bodies—every apprentice had been pinned to their nest by their mentors. Even Grovepelt, the deputy, was there, standing over Pinepaw, who's tail twitched mutinously from her position trapped beneath his paws. Swoopstrike squeezed inside next to Frostpaw. As he brushed past her, she noticed that he smelt like toadstools. Swoopstrike raked his critical gaze over the apprentices in their nests.

"Attacks can come at anytime!" Swoopstrike meowed. "As ShadowClan warriors, we must always be prepared! But, none of you were. Only Frostpaw had the whisker of sense to wake up and try to investigate, but she still didn't detect the threat!"

"Yeah, well maybe we didn't consider that our _trusted_ mentors attacking us in our sleep could be a threat," Poolpaw muttered sourly, shooting a glance with narrowed eyes at Fogfur.

"We could have been any Clan's warriors," Grovepelt cut in. "You wouldn't have been able to tell by scent that we were your mentors since we disguised our scents. You think the other clans aren't clever enough to do that as well during an ambush?"

No apprentice argued with him, although Frostpaw thought Poolpaw still looked annoyed about his sleep being interrupted.

"You all must heighten your senses," Dappledpelt meowed from on top of Mosspaw. "So, even in a moonless night as dark as this one, you will be able to tell that an attack is coming."

"And, ShadowClan must not only be able to detect threats in the dark, but to fight in the dark as naturally as in the light," Thornheart said from next to Murmurpaw at the back of the den.

"Tonight we will train you to do that," Beeclaw added, looking down at Autumnpaw.

Autumnpaw's gaze flickered over to Frostpaw and their eyes met.

 _"Sorry,"_ he mouthed to her from under Beeclaw's paws, an apology for not believing her warning.

Frostpaw's whiskers twitched in amusement at the sight of his rumpled fur, and she just shrugged, indicating all was forgiven.

"Take a moment to compose yourselves, then meet us at the Burnt Sycamore," Fogfur rumbled. "We will train there until dawn."

"That is, as long as you all make it to the Burnt Sycamore…" Swoopstrike said, his tail twitching mischievously. "Be wary of the things that lurk in the darkness of the woods."

Then as quickly as the mentors appeared, they were gone, wiggling out from under the holly bush and streaming away from the apprentices' den. Frostpaw followed Swoopstrike out the den's entrance and watched as his tail vanished through the bramble-lined tunnel, heading outside the camp. After he had gone, Frostpaw turned back around and slipped back into the apprentice den.

Everyone was now out of their nests. Pinepaw was shaking moss out of her dark fur, and Murmurpaw was rhythmically licking her side, trying to flatten her nervously pricking pelt. Autumnpaw padded up to Frostpaw, his eyes bright.

"Okay, you were right. We were under attack," he meowed to her with a purr.

"I told you," Frostpaw said with a flick of her tail.

"Well since you know everything," Autumnpaw said teasingly. "What do we do now?"

"Swoopstrike said that there will be things in the woods," Murmurpaw said, her voice wavering slightly, her eyes as wide as an owl's.

"Our mentors will probably be watching us as we head to the Burnt Sycamore," Frostpaw said. "Waiting to ambush us again if they get the chance."

"Yeah, there won't be any real enemies," Autumnpaw said, blinking reassuringly at the younger apprentice.

"Swoopstrike sounded so gleeful when he said it, though, that snake-heart," Poolpaw grumbled. "I bet jumping on us from the shadows will be the best part of this whole season for him."

Pinepaw shoved past all of the other apprentices and pushed her way out of the den without a word.

"Hey, where are you going?" Autumnpaw called after her.

"To the Burnt Sycamore, obviously, frog-brain," she said over her shoulder with an eye-roll. "We haven't got all night to stand here and talk about it."

"Yeah, but we should go together," Autumnpaw argued, padding out of the den after her. "Our chances against them are better if we are in a group. More ears and eyes to be on the lookout."

Pinepaw huffed.

"Fine," she said.

"You all ready?" Autumnpaw said, turning to peer back into the apprentices' den.

"Yeah," Frostpaw said, following him out, Poolpaw, Murmurpaw, and Mosspaw close behind her.

The group made their way to the bramble barrier, and one by one slipped out of camp. The forest outside was deeply shadowed. The faintest hint of the indigo sky peeked down through the thick canopy of pine branches above. The trees themselves were only shades of grey and black, and they all blended together in a tangled net of wood in every direction Frostpaw looked.

The apprentices trekked through the forest in the direction of the Burnt Sycamore in a tight formation, each casting wary glances over their shoulders every so often to make sure that there was no one behind them.

"This feels so weird," Autumnpaw murmured, breaking the silence of the group. "Normally apprentices aren't allowed out after dark without our mentors."

"We aren't without them though," Frostpaw whispered back. "You know they must be close by…"

Murmurpaw shivered at her words, shooting nervous glances from side to side.

"Ugh, I can't believe they're making us do this," Poolpaw grumbled, narrowing his eyes in annoyance.

"I don't know," Mosspaw chimed in, giving a small bounce of excitement. "I think it's kind of fun."

"Well, you weren't pounced on by Fogfur," Poolpaw said with a wince. "He's the biggest of all the mentors! I'll be sore for a week!"

"Well you're the biggest of all of us," Autumnpaw pointed out. "So, if anyone could take it…"

 _"Shh!"_ Pinepaw said, whipping around to hiss at them. "You all are chattering like starlings! Do you _want_ to give away our position?"

Silence fell back over the group. Frostpaw picked her ears, hoping to catch any sound of their mentors, but besides the hooting of an owl, the forest was totally silent around them.

After they had walked for a while longer, Autumnpaw broke the quiet again by clearing his throat. Pinepaw shot him a scorching look, but Autumnpaw began to speak regardless.

"Look," he whispered. "I get that we need to be quiet, but we also need a plan. What are we supposed to be doing out here?"

"Get to the Burnt Sycamore," Pinepaw hissed back in a hushed voice. "Without being caught again. It's an assessment of our senses and night-stalking skills."

"Obviously," Autumnpaw whispered with an eye-roll, one ear twitching back in annoyance. "But, how exactly are we supposed to do that? As is, no way we will make it through the woods without them catching us. They could be watching us right now, shaking their heads at us just bumbling along!"

"We should take turns being look-outs," Frostpaw whispered. "Some of us can concentrate on listening and scenting for our mentors while others are in charge of navigating, leading the group to the tree."

Pinepaw nodded thoughtfully, her amber eyes lighting up as a plan began to form in her mind.

"Let's fan out and put look-outs at each point," Pinepaw whispered. "Mosspaw, you take the rear. Poolpaw, the left. Autumnpaw the right. Murmurpaw, Frostpaw and I will navigate from the middle. But, look-outs shouldn't go too far, we should still be able to see each other, so we can signal if anyone notices anything out of the ordinary. The signal will be to raise your tail straight up if you think something is off."

"We should disguise our scents too," Frostpaw whispered. "Like our mentors did."

Frostpaw eyed her pale-colored pelt. Her creamy-white fur seemed to glow faintly in the weak star-light.

"And, maybe I'll roll in some mud," Frostpaw said.

Frostpaw saw Pinepaw's nose wrinkle up in disgust at her words, and Frostpaw's mind flashed back for a heartbeat to Pinepaw's cruel kit-hood nickname for Frostpaw— Dirtface.

_I wonder if she'll call me that… I mean I did just volunteer to roll in mud._

But, if the dark-furred apprentice's thoughts followed the same path through her memory as Frostpaw's, she hid it well.

"Good idea," Pinepaw murmured. "Why don't we all roll in mud? It'll disguise our scents as well as hiding our fur colors. Murmurpaw is a fairly pale golden too. And, Poolpaw has some big white-patches."

Pinepaw signaled for the group to follow her, and she led them to a mud puddle gathered at the roots of a nearby pine.

Autumnpaw gazed down at the mud, his brow furrowing.

"But, your fur and mine is already dark enough that we don't have to," he complained to Pinepaw. "I'll be grooming mud out of my fur for a moon if I roll in that!"

"Too bad. It'll disguise our scents, so we're all doing it," Pinepaw whispered, narrowing her eyes at her brother. "I'm leading this group, and I said so."

"What?" Poolpaw chimed in incredulously. "You're the leader?"

"Yeah! We never decided on that," Autumnpaw argued.

"Well if it wasn't for me, you all would still be milling aimlessly around in the apprentices' den!" Pinepaw hissed.

"Well Frostpaw is the one with all the good ideas!" Autumnpaw growled. "And, she was the only one that noticed our mentors outside our den. So, maybe she should lead!"

All the apprentice's turned to gaze at Frostpaw. She felt heat rush to her ears at their sudden undivided attention, and her stomach swirled like moths were trapped inside it. She shook her head quickly, staring intently at the ground.

"No. I think Pinepaw is right," she said. "She should be in charge."

Frostpaw's gaze flickered up from the ground, and she saw Pinepaw raise her chin proudly.

"That's settled then. Come on," Pinepaw said.

Despite the disgusted expression she made when Frostpaw first suggested rolling in mud, Pinepaw led the way and measuredly walked into the mud puddle, her face neutral as she began to coat her pelt with it. Frostpaw followed her into the puddle, shivering as the slimy mud splashed up her legs, dragging down at her long fur. Frostpaw crouched down to let it soak into her belly and side fur, steeling herself for a moment before quickly rolling to get it on her back.

"Yuck," Frostpaw muttered as she stood up, feeling the slimy excess mud sliding down her sides.

She padded out of the puddle, her paws squelching at every step as she walked through the mud then back onto solid ground. Everyone else was still coating their fur with mud besides Autumnpaw, who was standing at the edge of the puddle with an uncertain look on his face.

"Your turn," Frostpaw whispered to him, nodding at the mud puddle.

"Please… do I have to?" Autumnpaw whispered back, his expression pleading. "It looks awful. My pelt is so thick, the mud will soak through it all! I mean, look at your fur! No offense, but you look like some sort of mud-monster-cat."

Frostpaw purred, a mischievous feeling creeping over her.

"Well you have two heartbeats to get into that puddle, before this mud-monster-cat makes you," Frostpaw said, giving a playful growl.

Autumnpaw's eyes shimmered playfully, and he made his gaze go wide.

"Please, oh great mud-monster, don't trap me in your slimy, mud territory! Have mercy; let me go free," he said.

"Time's up!" Frostpaw growled, giving Autumnpaw a heavy shove.

He stumbled forward a few steps into the puddle, the mud splashing up his legs and his sides.

"Ugh!" he grumbled, peering down at his muddy pelt in dismay.

"Stop playing around, frog-brain," Pinepaw whispered to Autumnpaw, her tail twitching. "Coat your pelt quickly, and let's keep going!"

Autumnpaw grudgingly obeyed her, and then the gang of apprentices was off again, slipping into their designated positions. Frostpaw and Murmurpaw were left alone with Pinepaw. Frostpaw matched Pinepaw stride for stride, while Murmurpaw stuck close to Frostpaw's side, her eyes wide with nervousness as they crept through the dark trees. Another owl hooted in the distance, and Murmurpaw pressed herself even closer into Frostpaw's fur, her gaze flittering around the pine tree branches above them anxiously. Frostpaw flicked her tail reassuringly against the younger apprentice's side.

They walked undisturbed for a while, and Frostpaw began to cautiously hope that maybe they would be able to sneak past their mentors and make it to the Burnt Sycamore safely after all. But, then she saw Autumnpaw's tail go up in alarm. Pinepaw signaled for the group to halt, and everyone cautiously scented the air. Frostpaw drew a deep breath of the thick, humid air over her tongue slowly.

 _"I don't smell anything,"_ Pinepaw said in a voice barely above a breath to Autumnpaw.

 _"I heard weird rustling,"_ Autumnpaw whispered back.

Everyone stilled again, attempting to discern anything unusual. Frostpaw closed her eyes to block out visual distractions—she knew their mentors wouldn't be so careless to have themselves be easily seen anyway. Frostpaw imagined stretching out her hearing and her scenting as far as it could reach, like she was probing the woods around her with them.

With her ears, she could make out a hooting owl in the distance, and another hooting much more closely, in a nearby tree, as if in response. She could hear the wind softly sighing through the pine needles above her, and a few frogs croaking in a marsh. Sensing nothing out of the ordinary, she shifted her focus to her nose. She scented mud most strongly, but she knew that was only because it completely coated her and her den-mates' pelts. Frostpaw pushed that aside and searched deeper, teasing apart the scents of the forest around her. She smelt musty peat moss and the sour-tinged scent of bog. She smelt crisp, cool pine needles, and the nutty scent of a squirrel that passed by here not that long ago. She smelt toadstools and damp ferns… Frostpaw returned to the toadstool scent, remembering that it was what their mentors had disguised their scent with when they ambushed them at the den. Frostpaw rolled the scent over her tongue thoughtfully.

_How am I supposed to tell the difference between real toadstools and our mentors?_

Frostpaw honed in on the toadstool scent, trying to figure out where it was coming from. She lifted her nose to point it into the breeze, sniffing as she tried to pinpoint it's location.

 _The toadstools are… above us?_ She thought in confusion.

Frostpaw's eyes snapped open, her shoulders tensing as she understood.

 _"They're in the trees!"_ Frostpaw hissed the warning.

Everyone crouched down, eyes flying upwards. Frostpaw heard another owl hoot, then in a nearby tree, she watched the owl's shadow move farther down a branch. Frostpaw narrowed her eyes, looking closer… not an owl's shadow… a cat's!

"Run!" Pinepaw barked the order.

The group took off, barreling through the dark forest.

"Can you see any of them?" Mosspaw asked, her eyes flying wildly around as she tried to pick out anything in the branches above them.

"I think there's one behind us!" Murmurpaw exclaimed. "They're jumping from branch to branch!"

"What?!" Poolpaw meowed in shock.

Frostpaw risked a glance behind her, and sure enough, caught a shadow of movement flashing through the branches of the trees.

"They're no SkyClan though. We'll be much faster than them on foot than they will be in the trees!" Pinepaw panted. "We should be able to make it to the Burnt Sycamore without them catching us!"

Frostpaw heard more hooting someways in front of her, and her ears pricked in alarm.

"I think they're communicating with 'hoots!'" Frostpaw hissed in a low voice that carried only to her den-mates' ears. "And, I think they are spread out. They may still be able to surround us!"

"Snake-dung," Pinepaw swore, correcting their direction so they weren't running right at the noise anymore.

"I think we may need to split up and rendezvous at the Burnt Sycamore," Pinepaw said, her brow furrowing.

"We'll be weaker alone!" Autumnpaw protested through his panting.

"True, but they'll surround us if we keep going as a group, and as long as we can make sure they don't catch us, we don't have to worry about being weaker separately," Pinepaw said. "And, we already made it over half-way there. We don't have much further to go."

"We'll be harder to find and track alone too," Poolpaw added.

"So it's agreed," Pinepaw panted. "Ready? Split!"

Frostpaw turned hard to the right, whipping her tail around to keep her balance as she sprinted away from her den-mates. She turned to look over her shoulder, and she watched their group split like seeds from a dandelion, being blown in all different directions by the wind. Frostpaw saw their pelts flickering through the trees only for a moment, before the dark mud-stained colors vanished, blending into the rest of the dark forest. Frostpaw turned her attention back forward. She had to get to the Burnt Sycamore alone now. And, she had to do it fast before their mentors could catch her. Or, her only other option was to somehow ensure she ditched any cats tracking her from the trees, and then snuck to the Sycamore without them finding her.

Frostpaw's mind flew as fast as her paws as she tried to come up with a plan. If a cat had eyes on her right now; she would be at a disadvantage. But, judging by the amount of hooting Frostpaw remembered hearing coming from other parts of the forest, she was sure that there could have only been one or two cats directly tracking the group, three at the most, and the rest were scattered throughout the forest and were getting updates on their location via hoots. And, when the apprentice group spilt up, the chances were good that the cats that was tracking them decided to go after one of the other members of the group, and not her.

_So, the first thing I need to do is to see if I'm being followed._

She couldn't tell by the hoots. After the apprentices split up, the hooting had gone silent, probably because their mentors that were tracking them were too busy bounding through the branches to update their position. Frostpaw couldn't smell any toadstools, coming from above at least, at the moment, but she felt like to be sure that she wasn't being tracked, she would have to check visually if she could see any shadows moving through the branches. Frostpaw whipped around the trunk of a thick pine tree and came to a screeching stop, crouching down low in the shadows of the roots. She hoped that if there had been a cat following her, they would have been looking away, distracted by leaping from branch to branch, and when they looked back, it would have appeared as if she had simply vanished into the forest.

After a cautious hesitation, Frostpaw peeked around from the edge of the trunk, keeping her ears flat to disguise her silhouette and creeping her face around the tree as slowly as possible to not draw attention to her movement. Her gaze flickered through the dark tree-tops around her. The branches of the pines seemed to be still grey tendrils against a black star-studded sky, but Frostpaw had learned enough of ShadowClan ways to know that things weren't always how they appeared. If someone had been following her, she would have to out-wait them, in case they were doing the same thing as her right now—crouching hidden and still, searching for any sign of movement.

Frostpaw felt like she stayed crouched at the roots of that pine tree forever. Her muscles started to stiffen up from going so suddenly from running to motionless. She waited until she couldn't wait any longer… and she saw no movement in the trees around her.

_Okay… no one is here. But, I still have to get to the Burnt Sycamore without them finding me._

Frostpaw's brow furrowed. It would be a difficult trying to avoid them the whole journey, but if luck was on her side, and the mentors were busy looking for everyone else… she hoped she would be able do it. Frostpaw gazed out in the direction that she knew led to the Burnt Sycamore, sighing softly to herself as she prepared to head out. But, then her gaze flickered back upwards towards the branches, and an idea struck her like a lightning bolt, causing all her fur to stand on end.

_I could travel in the trees! It would be the best place to hide— in plain sight! The mentors won't be able to recognize me unless they get super close because it's so dark, and my pelt is covered in mud, disguising my color and my scent!_

The idea seemed so clever, but so obvious at the same time, that Frostpaw hesitated for a moment, doubting if it could really be so easy. But, when she could think of no glaring flaws in the plan, she quickly sprung into motion.

Frostpaw easily clawed her way up the pine tree that she had been hiding behind, making it to one of its sturdy lower branches. She turned to face in the direction of the Burnt Sycamore, cautiously eyeing the distance between the end of the branch of the tree she was in, and the closest branches on the next one. Luckily, in this part of ShadowClan territory, the pine forest was thick, and the trees grew in dense groves. It would be impossible to perform this same trick of leaping from tree to tree in other parts of the territory, which were mostly marsh, where the trees grew more spread out.

Frostpaw took a deep breath, steading herself. She sensed that she would have to run out to the end of the branch, and leap the few tail-lengths into the branch in the next tree in one fluid motion like she saw squirrels do. The ends of the branches seemed too thin and like they would sway too much under her weight for her to hesitate on them before jumping.

Frostpaw's stomach clenched in nervousness as she had one worried thought about falling, but she did her best to push the thought away.

_I've jumped a lot farther than this on the ground all of the time! It can't be that hard._

Frostpaw took another deep breath, feeling the heavy air settle reassuringly into her lungs, calming her.

_Here I go!_

Frostpaw bounded forward, feeling the limb swaying slightly under her paws as she ran, but she felt her muscles naturally making almost imperceptible corrections to keep her feet firmly on the branch. As the branch thinned and tapered, the swaying beneath her became more dramatic, and Frostpaw felt an instinctual certainty in some deep part of her mind, that it was time for her to leap. Frostpaw's hind-legs bunched under her, and she sprang, sailing easily from the one tree into the next. Frostpaw dug unsheathed claws into the branch of the next tree for better grip, but didn't try to fight the momentum of her leap forward, instead she harnessed it, using it to continue to run down the branch, heading towards the trunk of the pine.

_I did it!_

Frostpaw felt a thrill of excitement run through her chest. Not only did she do it; it felt so strangely easy. Nothing else she tried in training had come that naturally to her before.

_I bet if Dampfang tried this, he'd fall flat on his face._

Frostpaw sprung again into a neighboring branch, a feeling of confidence growing inside her at the capability of her paws. Before long, she was springing from branch to branch, tree to tree, as easily as a squirrel, making quick time through the forest towards the Burnt Sycamore.

Frostpaw could tell she was growing closer, and that she would be at the clearing that surrounded the Burnt Sycamore soon. Frostpaw felt a rush of excitement at that thought, but then her attention snapped to the rustling of some pine needles on a different tree. She slowed, coming to a stop on the branch that she was on; her gaze searched the shadowed tree intently for the source of noise. She saw a shadow slipped down the length of a branch. It was very cat-like, much too large to be a squirrel. As the cat came to a stop, Frostpaw could just make out the outline of the cat's head in the darkness. Its ears were pricked in her direction. It had definitely noticed her. Frostpaw tried to swallow, but her mouth was suddenly dry.

_I can't let whoever it is get too close. Then they will know that I'm not one of the mentors! But, what do I do?_

Frostpaw's mind whirled rapidly as she tried to come up with a behavior that the other cat wouldn't find suspicious. Frostpaw gave a slow wave of her tail to the other cat.

" _Whoo-who,"_ Frostpaw said in a low voice, doing her very best owl imitation.

She saw the other cat's head nod.

 _"Whoo-who,"_ the other cat hooted back.

It turned and started bounding off, away from Frostpaw. Frostpaw heaved a sigh of relief, standing in place for a moment longer, before she continued her journey towards the Burnt Sycamore. As she bounded along a few branches, the nervousness and relief that she had felt during the encounter with the other cat faded away to be replaced by a feeling of warm satisfaction in her chest. She almost couldn't believe it. She had fooled the mentor!

Frostpaw could see the Burnt Sycamore's stunted and twisted form through the tree branches. Frostpaw narrowed her eyes, trying to peer down at the area around the tree's roots through the tangled mess of pine needles and branches. She could see a few dark cat forms milling around there, but whether they were mentors or apprentices that had made it, she couldn't tell.

_I'm so close! I just have to make it to the tree._

Frostpaw leapt along the few branches left until she reached the tree on the edge of the clearing that surrounding the Burnt Sycamore. She saw the heads of the three cats sitting by the roots of the Burnt Sycamore turn towards the sound of her rustling. Frostpaw scampered down the tree head-first like a squirrel, moving as quickly as she could without losing her grip on the somewhat slick bark with her claws and falling flat on her face. Frostpaw hit the ground with all four paws and then sprinted towards the base of the Burnt Sycamore.

 _"Snake-dung!"_ Frostpaw heard hissed from somewhere behind her, followed by violent rustling.

Frostpaw panted, her paws flying across the ground as she heard the sound of a cat scramble down a tree and chase her. But, whoever it was, was too late. Frostpaw slapped her fore-paws against one of the gnarled roots of the Burnt Sycamore, springing on top of it to whirl around victoriously and face her pursuer.

"I made it!" Frostpaw declared, her eyes gleaming.

Swoopstrike had slowed to a trot as he approached her, panting and shaking his head.

"Snake-dung, I can't believe you got past me!" he grumbled, but Frostpaw thought she could maybe almost detect a hint of pride in his voice. "I should've known it was _you_ in the tree!"

Frostpaw's brow furrowed, and for a moment, she wondered what she had done to make Swoopstrike suspicious it was her. She opened her mouth to ask, but before she could, the other cats already at the tree padded over. Frostpaw turned her head to see Grovepelt, Pinepaw and Murmurpaw approaching.

"Well done, Frostpaw," Grovepelt said with a purr. "Pinepaw and Murmurpaw also arrived together successfully at the Burnt Sycamore."

Pinepaw raised her chin proudly, and even Murmurpaw who scuffled her paws shyly, stood a bit straighter.

"It was clever of you to use the trees just like the mentors were doing and blend in with them to hide," Grovepelt continued to Frostpaw in a rumbly voice. "That kind of creative thinking is just what we were trying to encourage with this exercise. You have the makings of a very cunning battle tactician."

Frostpaw's tail raised happily at the deputy's praise. She shot a glance over at Swoopstrike and was delighted to see her mentor nodding along with him.

"You may have gotten through, though, but there are still three apprentices hanging out in the woods," Swoopstrike added, his eyes gleaming as the thrill of the hunt settled back over him. "I'll make sure that they don't."

Swoopstrike turned and ran back into the trees, vanishing quickly from sight. Frostpaw glanced over at Grovepelt.

"Are you going to go back with him?" she asked.

Grovepelt purred.

"My old bones are too tired for that," he said good-naturedly. "Swoopstrike has a lot more energy than I do these days. I'll leave hunting down your den-mates to him."

Grovepelt's ears flickered.

"But, in the meanwhile, I'll teach you three night-stalking techniques that will allow you to disappear into the darkness like you are one with the shadows."

Grovepelt showed Frostpaw, Pinepaw, and Murmurpaw how to find the deepest shadows, the ones that were so inky black that not a whisker of light escaped them, and instructed them on how to keep their ears flat the whole time so that they didn't make silhouettes that enemies would identify immediately as cat-like. Grovepelt was in the middle of explaining how they needed to also keep their eyes slitted so they didn't give away their position from light reflecting in their eyes, when the sound of pounding paw-steps interrupted him. Everyone turned to look towards the sound, waiting to see who would emerge from the darkness.

What appeared to be a cat-like creature came running towards them, but Frostpaw's brow furrowed in confusion at the strange, spindly shapes that poked out of this creature's pelt in all directions. When the cat got closer, a loud purr of amusement burst from Frostpaw's chest, and she could hear Pinepaw, Murmurpaw, and even Grovepelt laughing along with her. As the cat reached the Burnt Sycamore, Frostpaw could now tell that it was Autumnpaw. He was of course still coated in mud, just as Frostpaw, Pinepaw and Murmurpaw were, but on top of that his pelt now had a layer of leaves and twigs, which stuck out in all directions like he was some kind of strange porcupine.

"What happened to you not wanting to get stuff in your pelt?" Frostpaw asked through her purrs.

"You look like you got in a fight with a bush! And, the bush won!" Pinepaw exclaimed, almost breathless with laugher.

"Very funny," Autumnpaw said, twitching his tail, but he didn't look that upset. "I did it to camouflage myself, for your information. And, it worked, since I made it here didn't I?"

"Yes, well done," Grovepelt said with a nod. "I was just telling these three the importance of disguising the silhouette of your body during night-stalking. You embodied that lesson well."

Autumnpaw twitched his whiskers with a pleased expression. Frostpaw padded over to him.

"Do you want any help getting all this leaves and sticks out of your fur? Or are keeping them for mementos?" Frostpaw meowed teasingly.

Autumnpaw flicked his ears.

"Ugh, yes please. My skin is itching like crazy!" Autumnpaw said.

Frostpaw began picking leaves and twigs from Autumnpaw's pelt.

"So, how did you guys make it here?" Autumnpaw asked the group.

Frostpaw explained how she had leapt from branch to branch in the trees like the mentors, while Pinepaw and Murmurpaw said how they had just ran together as fast as they could to the Burnt Sycamore, taking turns navigating and being on the lookout for pursuers.

"Sometimes the simplest plan is the fastest," Grovepelt said, nodding approvingly to Pinepaw and Murmurpaw.

"Hold on, though, I thought we all agreed to split up?" Autumnpaw said, sounding slightly accusatory. "Why did you two end up staying together?"

"Murmurpaw didn't want to be left alone," Pinepaw said, glaring at her brother.

Murmurpaw ducked her head, looking a bit ashamed.

"I don't know the forest that well yet, and things look different at night. I was afraid that I'd get lost," she muttered.

Frostpaw felt a flash of sympathy for the younger cat, but it was Pinepaw that turned to her.

"Hey, don't worry about it. Autumnpaw is just being a frog-brain," Pinepaw said to Murmurpaw, swiping her tail down Murmurpaw's side reassuringly.

"Sorry, I didn't mean it like that," Autumnpaw muttered, scuffling his paws on the ground.

Their conversation was interrupted when the sound of cats talking made everyone's ears prick.

Rounding the Burnt Sycamore from the other side, was the rest of the cats in the patrol that had left camp, mentors and apprentices both. Poolpaw and Mosspaw were in the center of the group, and Swoopstrike was leading them, his head held high.

"We caught some apprentices for you!" Swoopstrike said in a very unusually cheery voice, waving his tail at Grovepelt.

"Ugh!" Poolpaw exclaimed when he saw the other apprentices waiting by the Burnt Sycamore. "No wonder all of the mentors were after us! You all already made it here, so they didn't have anyone else to chase!"

"Well, then you should have been faster," Fogfur quipped lightly to his apprentice in his deep voice.

"What was your plan?" Grovepelt asked the two apprentices as the two groups joined, all settling down by the roots of the Burnt Sycamore.

"I was going to sneak around to the other side of the Burnt Sycamore and approach it from behind," Poolpaw said. "I thought there'd be less guards on the look out there."

"I had the same idea," Mosspaw said. "Poolpaw and I ran into each other on the far side, but that's when the mentors surrounded us."

Grovepelt nodded.

"Your plan was good; you are right that the less traveled path will have less guards. But, the execution needed work. Pinepaw and Murmurpaw ran here directly, yet they were able to make it by taking advantage of the chaos that happened when you all split up; not all the guards were at their correct post. But, because you two took a longer path, you took more time, which is where the mentors got the advantage," Grovepelt meowed.

Grovepelt settled down, looking over the whole group.

"Now that everyone is here, let's go over the lessons we learned tonight," he said.

Grovepelt's gaze flickered over the other mentors, waiting for one of them to chime in.

"Splitting up was a good idea," Thornheart meowed, beginning. "I was tracking the group when you did that, and it made it impossible for me to follow you all."

Grovepelt nodded.

"But, in a real battle, you never want to split up without a plan about when and where to converge," Grovepelt said. "You all arrived at the Burnt Sycamore at different times. If instead of the Burnt Sycamore, this was an enemy camp, you would be fighting alone, not knowing when the rest of your patrol would arrive."

Grovepelt flicked his tail, indicating for the other mentors to continue.

"It was also smart of you all to disguise your scents and pelt colors with mud," Dappledpelt spoke up.

Grovepelt nodded, now turning his attention to the apprentices.

"Who can tell me what makes something a good thing to disguise your scent with?" he asked.

"It has to be strong enough to cover our own scents," Poolpaw said, his tail flicking behind him.

"Right," Grovepelt said. "But, strong smell itself isn't enough. If you rolled in fox-dung, you'd hide your scent rather thoroughly, but then you'd risk attracting cats to you, who came searching for a fox."

Grovepelt's gaze swept over the apprentices.

"What else?" he asked.

Frostpaw remembered the out-of-place toadstool scent that had tipped her off that a mentors was in the trees above her.

"It can't be anything unusual or out of place for the environment," Frostpaw said in a soft voice. "I knew there was a mentor in the trees because I smelt toadstools above. But, toadstools don't grow on trees."

Grovepelt nodded.

"Well done," he said. "I was hoping that you all would notice that. And, you are right. If we were, for example, planning for a battle in the WindClan moor, where the ground is often dry, it might not be the best idea to disguise your scent with marsh mud."

Grovepelt glanced over at the mentors again.

"What else can the apprentices learn from this exercise?" he meowed.

"Frostpaw had the idea to disguise herself as a mentor by traveling through the trees," Swoopstrike said, adding in. "If we used that technique in a real battle, it would have been a very bold move because it would put us in the heart of the enemy, which would be disastrous if caught. But, if we were able to play the act convincingly enough, it would allow us to strike where our enemy was the most vulnerable."

Everyone nodded along.

"Autumnpaw also chose to disguise himself, but he did so to resemble the territory," Beeclaw said. "He took a lower risk approach than Frostpaw, which may be more appropriate depending on the style of battle."

"Good point, Beeclaw," Grovepelt said. "It is important to keep in mind that each battle is different. And, a technique that would work in one may not work in another. That is why we make sure to learn many different options, so we can always be prepared."

"Are we expecting any battles soon?" Murmurpaw piped up. "Since the battle with WindClan, the forest has been peaceful right?"

One of Grovepelt's ears twitched back.

"That is true," the deputy rumbled. "And, it is green-leaf now, so Clans should be content with full bellies, but we can't expect any peace to last. It is not in a warriors nature."

"And, not everyone is happy," Beeclaw chimed in. "Remember how ThunderClan and SkyClan were at the last gathering? If they aren't at each other's throats right now, they will be soon enough."

"Quite right," Grovepelt said with a nod to Beeclaw. "And, aggression is like fire, not like water. It doesn't flow downstream; it consumes in all directions. If ThunderClan and SkyClan go to war, we shouldn't relax, thinking that they will only fight each other. We must be wary of our own borders."

"But all of ThunderClan territory is between us and SkyClan," Mosspaw said, her ears flattening in confusion. "How can they be a threat to us?"

Grovepelt purred lightly.

"When you have seen as many seasons as I have, young 'paw, you will know that distance means nothing to a power-hungry cat," Grovepelt meowed.

Frostpaw saw Mosspaw's face furrowed deeply in concern, but Grovepelt was already rising to his paws.

"You've all done well tonight," he said, addressing the group of apprentices. "But, the sun's coming up now, so let's return to our dens. You all are welcome to sleep until sun-high, and then grab prey from the fresh-kill pile before reporting to your mentors."

Frostpaw tilted her head backwards. She was surprised to see that Grovepelt was right, and somehow, the whole night had already passed. Through the few branches of the Burnt Sycamore above her head, Frostpaw could see pale grey tendrils of fog snaking up from the canopies of the pines, forming silky silhouettes against the dark blue, but lightening, sky. 

The first rays of the sun escaped over the horizon, turning the pine needles in the trees around her golden, and for a moment, Frostpaw thought that there must not be any part of all the territories that was as beautiful as ShadowClan's forest.

The rest of the patrol had already entered into the trees. Frostpaw rose to her paws, and padded quickly after them, heading back to camp.


	14. The Marsh

In the hottest days of green-leaf, it rained for days and days, with no end in sight. It was early morning, and Frostpaw stood in the shelter of the holly bush that formed the apprentices' den, blinking miserably out at the pouring rain. The water had turned their whole territory into a swamp, the camp included. Rain had collected in massive pools in the center of the clearing in front of her, so to get to one side of the camp to the other, cats had to either skirt around the edges, or just trudge through knee-high mud and chest-high water. Luckily, the dens had been prudently formed on the higher ground around the edges of the camp, so none of them had been flooded by the rain.

But, as much as Frostpaw hated the rain and the mud, bafflingly, a lot of the warriors didn't seem to mind it. She had watched ShadowClan warriors slip unbothered through muddy water that came up to their shoulders like they were some sort of otter. Some even dived totally under the water, then emerged with frogs and salamanders clamped in their jaws. The territory itself too had seemed to come alive from the rain in a way Frostpaw had never seen it before. The fresh-kill pile was overflowing, and even right now, Frostpaw could hear the constant droning of cicadas, birds, and frogs in her ears, echoing from all parts of the territory down into camp.

Frostpaw felt a cool drop of water that wiggled its way through the thickly netted holly branches above her, land on the top of her head and run down to her nose. Frostpaw shook her head, sending the droplet flying. She didn't like how when she went out into the rain, her fur got so soaked and water-logged, making her motions feel heavy and cumbersome. Larkfoot had told her that she needed to eat more frogs to make her pelt sleek and water repellent, but Frostpaw thought that that advice might be an old nursery tale. Although, she had to admit, some warriors' pelts did seem to shed muddy water as easily as heron wings did… so Larkfoot's words might have a whisker of merit.

Frostpaw twitched her whiskers. She would have to pay closer attention to see how many frogs each of them ate.

Frostpaw's attention shifted to a flicker of movement from the warriors' den, underneath the dark, prickly bramble bush on the other side of camp. She saw the silver-and-black dappled form of Swoopstrike emerge. He didn't hesitate before stepping out into the rain, padding right to the pool at the center of camp and slipping into it. Frostpaw watched as he half-walked, half-swam across towards the apprentices' den, emerging with mud dripping from his belly, tail, and chin, turning the lower part of his body completely brown. His green eyes spotted Frostpaw sitting in the shelter of the holly bush easily.

"We're going on a hunting patrol," Swoopstrike said to her. "Get Pinepaw too. She's coming with us. Meet us by the bramble tunnel soon."

Frostpaw nodded, and Swoopstrike turned, heading to the fresh-kill pile to get himself some food before their patrol. Frostpaw watched him for a moment longer, seeing him pick up a frog to eat.

_Frog. Huh._

Tail twitching thoughtfully, Frostpaw turned back into the den to wake Pinepaw.

Pinepaw and Murmurpaw were the only apprentices left sleeping in the cozy moss-lined den. Mosspaw, Poolpaw, and Autumnpaw were gone before Frostpaw had woken up, having already left for patrolling or training. Frostpaw padded over to Pinepaw and roused her by muttering her name.

The black-furred apprentice's amber eyes flickered open, and she twitched one ear at Frostpaw questioningly.

"We're on a hunting patrol," Frostpaw said. "Leaving soon."

Pinepaw yawned widely and nodded, sitting up in her nest. Frostpaw turned and padded back to the entrance of the den, leaving Pinepaw to give her pelt a quick grooming. Frostpaw hesitated at the exit of the den for a moment before she forced herself out into the rain. As she padded towards the bramble tunnel that led out of camp, she tried her best to stick as close as possible to the edges of camp, where the ground wasn't swamped and where the tree branches stretching in from the surrounding forest were the most dense. But, still after only a few moments of walking, Frostpaw's fur was soaked through with water. Frostpaw sat down heavily by the bramble lined path with a sigh. Her skin was already completely wet, but at least it was hot outside, so she wasn't cold. In fact, she could _almost_ convince herself that the cooling touch of the rain was nice on the muggy green-leaf day.

"Frostpaw," Grovepelt said in greeting, padding over to her with Marshnose, Dampfang and Kestrelmoon at his tail, whom Frostpaw presumed were the rest of their patrol.

Frostpaw twitched her whiskers in reply, sending water droplets flying. She gave a friendly nod at Kestrelmoon, but was careful to avoid eye contact with Dampfang and Marshnose. Although she could still hear Dampfang snort derisively when he saw that Frostpaw was on their patrol. Swoopstrike padded over quickly, having finished his meal. Despite the incessant rainfall, his belly was still brown; the mud not yet washed off.

"I'm here!" Pinepaw gasped, her paws squelching in mud as she bounded over to the group, her eyes wide with worry about being late.

"Alright then," Grovepelt meowed. "Then we are off."

Grovepelt led the patrol through the narrow path out of camp. The cats traveled in single file with Frostpaw the last in the line, walking right behind Swoopstrike's black striped tail. She was fine being last, though. Marshnose and Dampfang were the prickliest in the camp towards her, and they were only a few tail-lengths away! Frostpaw flicked her whiskers. She couldn't help but be a bit happy to have Swoopstrike as a buffer between her and them.

Her paws twitched, her mind drifting back towards the hunt. Maybe this patrol was a good chance to prove Marshnose and Dampfang wrong, though. If she caught a ton of prey, neither of them would be able to say that she was a useless rogue that didn't provide for ShadowClan. Frostpaw raised her chin, setting her jaw determinedly.

With sure paws, Grovepelt wove through the waterlogged land, being sure to keep the group on the slightly firmer, higher ground. Frostpaw pricked her ears. She could hear Pinepaw meowing to Dampfang, but the older tom was responding mostly with grunts. Frostpaw twitched her tail. She didn't know what Pinepaw saw in that frog-brain. Although Frostpaw and Pinepaw didn't always get along, Frostpaw still knew that her den-mate deserved better than him.

As they walked, Frostpaw noticed that Grovepelt was headed straight towards the river that cut through the heart of ShadowClan territory. Frostpaw swallowed back a sigh. The territory surrounding the river was the marshiest area of ShadowClan land. And, they were hunting there on the rainiest day of the year!

_Well I suppose it doesn't matter if we hunt in the pines or in the marsh. We're soaked through either way._

More sycamores than pines grew in this part of the territory. They cropped up slowly, but eventually they surrounded the patrol with huge mottled grey and brown trunks, some of them nearly as wide as the Burnt Sycamore's. Shaggy moss hung down from low branches, almost like the trees were coated in long green fur. Frostpaw could hear the croaks of frogs and the rushing sound of the stream ahead, much louder than normal because of the incessant rainfall. Frostpaw flinched in surprise as a huge dragonfly whirled past her grey muzzle, just narrowly missing her whiskers. She shook her head, flinging water off of her ears as she continued forward.

Patches of tall grasses and cattails popped up around them as they got closer to the river, and the sycamores became less dense. Grovepelt headed straight into a thick wall of grass, and the rest of the patrol followed. Swoopstrike was only a tail-length ahead of Frostpaw, but his form was quickly lost in the thick, green fronds.

The whole marsh around them was in bloom. Shocks of yellow, blue, red and purple petals, colors that seemed to Frostpaw strangely out of place in the woods, peeked out through cracks in the walls of light green grasses that surrounded them. Frostpaw could taste a sweet hint of nectar in the air from the flowers, and despite the rain, bugs of all kinds swarmed—moths, bees, butterflies, battling with each other to get to the blossoms first. Frostpaw peered at them curiously as they padded past, so fascinated by the glittering colors of their wings and shell-like bodies that she almost forget about the discomfort of her soaked pelt clinging to her sides. Grovepelt came to a halt in the heart of the marsh, indicating with his tail for the group to spread out.

"We will hunt here today," he meowed.

He glanced over at Pinepaw and Frostpaw and spoke for what seemed to be their benefit.

"The rain sends furred creatures into their hollows and burrows. But, the animals in the marshes come out. We will have good luck with frogs and water birds here," he said. "But, be aware of the river. It is running much harder and faster from all the rain. You won't be able to wade across it like we can normally."

Frostpaw nodded. The group split up, Kestrelmoon padding off to hunt alone, Dampfang and Marshnose slinking off together. Grovepelt nodded at Pinepaw, and the two of them headed into the tall grass, vanishing from sight quickly. Frostpaw turned towards Swoopstrike. He flicked his tail to one side, away from the way the others went.

"Lets go this way. I'll teach you swamp-hunting. You'll want to use a different technique than under the trees," he said.

Frostpaw nodded and they padded off, with Swoopstrike leading. A long-winged fly fluttered past Frostpaw's face, and she paused for a moment to recline onto her haunches and bat at it with her forepaws.

"Frostpaw!" Swoopstrike snapped.

Frostpaw sunk back onto all four of her paws, ears flattening guiltily.

"Do you plan on feeding the clan with bugs?" Swoopstrike said sarcastically, looking back at her from a few tail-lengths away through the tall green fronds.

"No," Frostpaw mumbled, padding over to him.

He rolled his eyes, but didn't say anything more about her fooling around, instead he got right down to the hunt.

"As you can see, the environment of marsh hunting is significantly different than hunting in the pine forests. In the forest, there is little to no undergrowth, but here…" Swoopstrike gestured to the tall grass on all sides of them, "The grass is thicker than fog. Vision means practically nothing, for both you and your prey. In that way it is almost like night-hunting. You need to rely on your other senses. Although it will be difficult with all the different scents and sounds mixing together around you. Luckily, the marsh is bursting full of prey, so they can't all be that hard to find."

Frostpaw nodded and Swoopstrike continued.

"You will need to alter your hunting crouch too. Remember, in the forest, there is little undergrowth, so we make ourselves as low and flat as possible and stick to the shadows to draw less attention to ourselves. Here, none of those things matter," Swoopstrike said. "If you make yourself too low and flat, all that's achieved is to bog your belly down in the mud. You will want to use a much higher stance. The grass will do the hiding."

Swoopstrike bent his knees slightly, holding his tail out straight behind him. Frostpaw copied him. He gave a curt nod.

"Good. The other thing you have to be aware of is your paws. We are walking in water and mud that goes up to our ankles," Swoopstrike said.

He lifted one paw up like he was going to take a step with it. It made a squelching noise as he freed his paw from the muck, then as he put it back down, it slapped the water, making a small splash.

"If you walk like that, the prey will hear those foot-falls from fox-lengths away. You have to glide your feet through the water, never completely lifting them out of it. Do you understand?" he said.

Frostpaw nodded hard again.

"Good," he meowed again. "Go and try it out by yourself. I'll check back in on how you're doing in a little bit."

Swoopstrike padded off, vanishing quickly into the tall grass. As he walked away, Frostpaw scented the air. She could smell rain and damp mud and musty moss mixed in with the sharp edge of the marsh grasses all around her and the hint of sweet flowers. Frostpaw breathed deeper, trying to sift through the scents in search of prey, but all the different marsh-smells were too strong. They barraged her nose with all the different notes of life around her, but not the kind of life she wanted.

Frostpaw's tail twitched uncertainly. With the constant drumming of the pouring rain, and the insects and cicadas droning in her ears, she couldn't make out where any prey was with her hearing either. Sure, she could definitely hear a chorus of frogs croaking, but mixed in with the confusion of the other sounds, she couldn't tell what direction it was coming from.

_Well, frogs like to be by water. I'll check the bank near the river._

Frostpaw began to creep through the tall grass fronds around her, holding herself in the strange high-crouch Swoopstrike showed her and shuffling her paws along through the mud as well, so she wouldn't alert any prey that she happened to stumbled upon.

As Frostpaw traveled in the direction towards the stream, the sound of the rushing water grew louder in her ears. Frostpaw brushed through a patch of cattails and blinked in surprise to see the river suddenly appear. As Grovepelt had warned, the bank of the stream had moved much closer than she was used to. A fast muddy-brown colored current rushed past her paws, the rainfall turning the normally soft gurgling stream into an angry, bloated, twisted version of itself.

Frostpaw cautiously eyed the rapids. It didn't look like a place prey would be. Just from looking at it, Frostpaw could tell the water was moving much too quickly for frogs to swim through it. But, still, she could hear them croaking, seemingly all around her.

Her tail twitching slightly in frustration, Frostpaw turned her head to survey the area up and downstream from her. Through the weeds, she noticed that along the banks rain had collected into large, still pools that hadn't quite yet filled high enough yet that they ran into the edge of the river. Frostpaw noticed a flicker of greenish-brown skin moving through the grass, and her muscles tensed in anticipation.

_Frogs!_

Frostpaw began to creep forward, forcing her tail to be still and straight behind her even though it really wanted to twitch in excitement. As Frostpaw approached the pool, peering out at it from her hiding space in the tall grass, she could see five, six, seven! frogs all either perched at the edge of the water or floating contentedly in the shallow pool. Frostpaw tensed, safely hidden in the grass as she readied herself to pounce. She knew she couldn't catch all of the frogs at once, but frogs tended to be slow moving prey. So, she should be able to catch at least a few before the rest fled into the grass. Frostpaw fixed her gaze on a group of frogs all sitting by the edge of the pool. Taking a deep breath, she wiggled her hindquarters then pounced.

Frostpaw shot out of the grass, her paws slamming down on two of the frogs, killing them instantly. One of the other frogs in the group sprung away, towards the grass, but Frostpaw snatched it up easily in her jaws before it got lost in the tall fronds, feeling a crunch beneath her fangs as the frog died. Two other frogs had hopped into the pool with croaks of alarm, but the pool was small and shallow, with nowhere for them to hide. Frostpaw dropped the frog from her mouth and sprung into the pool, her paws flashing through the water to hook her claws into the slimy side of one of the frogs. As she fished the frog out, the other leapt away into the grass, quickly vanishing from sight. Frostpaw scooped the struggling frog out of the water with her paws, bringing it up to her muzzle to bite its head, killing it. She twisted her head to look around, but she couldn't see anymore prey. The rest of the frogs had gotten away. Frostpaw twitched her whiskers. She still felt content with her catch of four.

Frostpaw padded out of the pool. She hardly noticed the water dripping from her legs since the rainfall still had not let up. She pushed the frogs together in a pile at the edge of the pool and scooped mud over them, casting careful glances around her to make sure some hungry, predatory bird had not seen her stash of frogs. Once the prey was adequately hidden, she padded over to a nearby tall purple flower and nipped the stalk, wincing at the taste of sickly-sweet sap in her mouth. She ripped the flower down and laid it over the mud mound of frogs.

_Now I can easily find where I buried the prey, in case the rain washes my scent away._

Frostpaw raised her tail, feeling rather pleased with herself. She turned back towards the river.

_If I keep following it, I'm bound to find more pools and more frogs. And, maybe some birds too!_

Frostpaw padded back over to the bank, turning to walk downstream and careful to keep a tail-length's distance between her paws and the edge of the rushing water. As she walked, Frostpaw continued to sniff the air and listen intently to her surroundings, but no elucidating scents or sounds made themselves known to her, so she continued her journey onward.

After Frostpaw sprung over a large branch laying on the bank of the river, she paused walking for a moment to look out over the water. Raindrops made rings of circles in the water when they hit the surface, but only for a moment before they were snatched away by the current. And, in the cattails across the river, a tall, pure white egret stood. The bird didn't even cast Frostpaw a glance. It seemed to know there was no way Frostpaw could make it across, so she was no threat to it. Frostpaw studied the bird, her tail twitching. She wasn't even sure she could take the bird down by herself, even if it was on her side of the bank. Its long, spindly legs were taller than her. Frostpaw's ears twitched back suddenly as she heard a loud crashing noise.

 _"Look out!"_ a voice behind her yowled.

Frostpaw had enough time to just half-turn her head towards the sound. Right next to her side she saw a flash of a long, thin beak and a large mess of grey and white feathers whip past her. Then immediately afterwards, she felt something heavy slam against her hindquarters.

She didn't even have time to see what hit her. Frostpaw's paws scrabbled for grip against the slick, muddy ground to no avail as she was shoved forward, her feet sprawling. Frostpaw slid straight into the river and found the water here was much deeper than she expected. Even in the shallows, it lapped hungrily at her shoulders.

Frostpaw's tail whipped around to try to keep her upright. She braced her feet in the muddy river bottom. But, she gasped as her legs were snatched out from under her by the powerful current. Her paws waved frantically, searching for purchase, to only find more water beneath her as she was swept into the deepest part of the river. Her heart pounded wildly in fear. Frostpaw had just enough time to let out a wail before the river gripped her its powerful claws, and her head too went under the muddy water.

The world around her was a confusing, swirling mess of dark water and mud and silt. Her eyes were stretched wide and flying around wildly, but she couldn't make any sense of the space around her. Up or down? Her paws flailed. Her heart thumped in panic. Her lungs ached from holding her breath, and even moving her legs was becoming increasingly difficult as her heavy, water-logged fur dragged through the river slowly, fighting against her motions.

Terror seized Frostpaw in an icy grip. Her muscles were burning. She was quickly growing too tired to keep battling the current. She forced herself to slow her useless flailing, hoping it would conserve her energy. Frostpaw closed her eyes, fighting her jaws to keep them shut even though her body begged her to open them and gasp for breath. Then she felt her feet brush something solid…

_The river bottom._

Frostpaw clenched her fangs, summoning her remaining strength, and with all her might, she kicked off the ground to shove herself upwards. Frostpaw's head broke the surface, and she gasped for breath, feeling the burning in her chest ease and feeling energy flow back into her muscles as air flowed back into her lungs. She couldn't tell where she was; her gaze was clouded by spray from the river, and her head was bobbing up and down too much to get a good look around. All she could hear was the roaring of the the river in her ears, so that was no use to her either. But, she was still alive… for now at least. And, she had to try to stay above the water.

 _"Help!"_ Frostpaw yowled, hoping desperately that some of her patrol was able to hear her.

Her paws had settled from frantically waving in all direction in the water into some sort of instinctual paddling motion that was helping her head stay above the surface, but her strength was too sapped to actually propel herself out of the fast-moving river.

 _"Help!"_ Frostpaw wailed again.

She swirled around in the current, and her eyes widened in terror as she saw herself careening towards a large branch that was also caught in the same rapids. A powerful wave of fear surged through her veins, resupplying her energy. Frostpaw kicked her paws out, struggling to free herself from her collision course with the branch, but the strength of the river was too mighty. Frostpaw's left flank hit the branch hard, and she had just enough time to gasp for a big breath of air before the force of the blow knocked her back beneath the waves.

The world went silent around her again as she sunk deeper under the water, completely at the mercy of the river's will. As Frostpaw swirled every which way in the rapids, she felt convinced that she wouldn't be able to make it back to the surface this time. She tried to kick out her legs to push herself upwards, but they responded like she was shouting at them from miles and miles away, moving only after a delay and very sluggishly.

_I can't swim back up._

Frostpaw's brow furrowed slightly. Weirdly, she didn't feel panic at the thought. She only felt exhaustion, wrapped tightly around her, stifling her, like a thick blanket of moss. But, she did feel a small spark of worry in her chest at her _lack_ of panic.

 _If I don't swim, I'll die._ She tried to motivate herself.

Frostpaw made a weak attempt to move her paws.

 _I'm too tired; I can't._ She thought back to herself.

Frostpaw gazed blearily at her forepaws out in front of her. She could just make out their light grey color through the dark, murky water.

_Would it be so bad to die? StarClan is supposed to be a nice place. And, I might get to see May again._

Frostpaw stilled, letting the river carry her wherever it wished, resigning herself to her watery fate. Then, looking out between her forepaws, Frostpaw saw a shadow of movement through the water. The shadow seemed cat-like in shape, and it was heading towards her.

… _May?_

Frostpaw felt a stirring of hope in her chest that the spirit of her mother had come to somehow help her, or to guide her to the afterlife.

Although Frostpaw still couldn't make out the cat properly, the shadow came even closer, swimming down to right above Frostpaw. Frostpaw felt sharp fangs sink deeply into her scruff, and she felt a sting of physical pain, which she thought seemed very unghost-like. Frostpaw then felt herself being tugged upwards by the shadow-cat.

Frostpaw was unable to keep her jaws shut against her screaming chest any longer, and she exhaled a long stream of bubbles before inhaling water. Frostpaw felt her lungs spasm in protest as they tried desperately to expel the water and breathe in air, but only to find there was just more water around her. Frostpaw felt a burning sensation stab deep in her chest, and her vision started to go dark.

_Am I dying?_

Then Frostpaw's head breached the surface.

Frostpaw hacked some of the water out of her lungs, sucking in huge, greedy gasps of air, before falling back into a coughing fit to try get the rest of the water out. Frostpaw could feel herself still being tugged along by her scruff, and she could feel a sinuous body brushing against her back, powerful and certain paws propelling them towards the bank. Frostpaw's feet trembled, much too weak to try to paddle along, so she concentrated just on breathing, letting the cat carry her by the scruff like a little kit. Frostpaw's gaze flickered backwards towards her rescuer to see Swoopstrike, his green eyes dark with concentration and fixed on the river bank. Frostpaw felt a warm surge of gratitude in her chest towards her mentor, but she was still coughing too violently to express it.

The moments dragged on, and they made little progress towards the bank. A dark cloud of worry descend on Frostpaw as she began to fear that Swoopstrike wasn't strong enough to break them both out of the strong current and carry them to shore. But, then Frostpaw's ears pricked as she heard a splash, and she twisted her head towards the noise to see another cat paddling through the water towards them, navigating through the worst of the currents.

 _Marshnose?_ She thought in surprise as she recognized the brown tabby.

He swam over to them, and she felt a second pair of jaws sink into her scruff. Then with a strong tug, the three cats were free from the main current of the river. Frostpaw felt a surge of relief so powerful she almost passed out, but she managed to fragilely cling to consciousness as they paddled quickly to shore.

As they approached the bank, Frostpaw felt her paws brush the muddy ground, and she struggled to get them under her, trying to force her feet to hold her up. She felt Marshnose let go of her, but Swoopstrike kept a firm grip on her scruff, only releasing after he had hauled her entirely out of the river and onto the shore.

Back on firm land, Frostpaw sank to her belly, her legs shaking too hard to stand. She turned towards Swoopstrike to see him also sinking to the muddy ground, panting hard.

"Thank you," Frostpaw gasped.

"Are you okay?" Swoopstrike rasped back in reply.

Frostpaw nodded before turning her head to hack up another few mouthfuls of river water onto the bank.

Frostpaw saw the grasses around her stir, and the rest of their hunting patrol came quickly pushing out of the weeds. Frostpaw saw Grovepelt sweep a worried gaze over the cats, and a wave of relief washed over his expression when he saw everyone was okay.

"What happened?" Grovepelt asked.

"Frostpaw fell in the river," Marshnose said, with a growl in his voice, his tail twitching.

 _"No._ Someone pushed me," Frostpaw managed to rumble in a low voice between her coughs.

Grovepelt swept a stern gaze over the cats in the patrol, waiting for someone to speak up. Dampfang took a step forward.

"I was chasing some prey, and I didn't see Frostpaw standing there at first because of the grasses," he meowed in a steady voice. "I tried to warn her, but it was too late."

"I could've drowned!" Frostpaw gasped, forcing the words out between coughs and clenched fangs. "You didn't even give me enough of a warning so I could move out of the way!"

Dampfang looked at her with a harsh green gaze.

"You should've listened to Grovepelt's warning and not been standing that close to the river in the first place!" he spat. "Because of your carelessness, you not even put your own life in danger, but Marshnose's and Swoopstrike's too!"

Frostpaw glanced over at Swoopstrike. He was slowly rising back to his paws, and every piece of fur on his wet pelt was bristling. Frostpaw felt her stomach flip as a wave of worried nausea washed over her. Was Swoopstrike angry with her? Had she been being careless? But, to Frostpaw's surprise, Swoopstrike did not turn his fury on her, instead he whipped towards Dampfang.

"You pathetic excuse for a warrior!" Swoopstrike exploded, his green eyes burning with fury. "You think this is _her_ fault? Guess what, I _saw_ you run into her, you piece of snake-dung. The grasses weren't that thick since I could see you and her from a few fox-lengths away, so you, sure as StarClan, should've been able to see Frostpaw! It was _you_ that must've not been paying attention. And, it was _you_ that decided to put the three of our lives at risk for a _stupid_ bird!"

Swoopstrike had shoved himself right into Dampfang's face. He now stood only a whisker-length away, his tail lashing behind him, his jaw clenched. Dampfang curled his lip up, looking at Swoopstrike from down his muzzle.

"I was concentrating on chasing a heron! It was so big, it would've fed _four_ warriors! Frostpaw should've been more aware of the environment around her!" Dampfang snapped.

"Oh I'm sorry! A whole _heron,_ you say?" Swoopstrike sneered, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Let me see this amazing piece of prey that is worth more than cats' lives!"

Swoopstrike made a show of looking around Dampfang's paws, his eyes mockingly wide.

"I didn't catch it," Dampfang hissed through clenched teeth.

"Wow! I'm so shocked!" Swoopstrike spat, flattening his ears. "The mighty Dampfang that decided it was worth it to risk the lives of his clan-mates for a bird, didn't even catch it!"

A look of deep fury washed over Dampfang's face.

"You have no right to reprimand me!" Dampfang snarled. "I'm a warrior, no different than you. Not some sniveling apprentice!"

"If you don't want me to reprimand you, then stop acting like a frog-brained idiot!" Swoopstrike spat, shoving his muzzle so close to Dampfang's they almost touched.

Dampfang let out a warning hiss, his eyes glittering dangerously. Milky white claws slid out from his black-furred feet. Frostpaw's eyes widened. Her gaze flickered over to Pinepaw. The other apprentice was watching the interaction with equally as wide eyes.

_Would Dampfang really attack Swoopstrike?!_

"That's enough!" Grovepelt growled, shouldering his way between the bristling toms. "I will not have this come to blows!"

Grovepelt turned to look down at Frostpaw.

"Kestrelmoon, help Frostpaw and Swoopstrike back to camp. I want Clearstream to take a look at them. The rest of the us can finish the hunting patrol and bring their catches back to camp for them," Grovepelt said.

"I'm fine," Swoopstrike growled.

"Clearstream and Elmclaw will decide that," Grovepelt snapped, the normally patient deputy looking fed up.

Swoopstrike jutted out his chin, planting his paws in the ground stubbornly.

"Fine. But, before I leave, I want to know what you'll be doing to punish Dampfang for his reckless behavior," Swoopstrike said, his tail twitching behind him.

Grovepelt gave a small sigh, closing his eyes for a moment like he was desperately searching for patience.

"It sounds like he made an honest mistake," Grovepelt said slowly.

Dampfang raised his chin, shooting a smug look at Swoopstrike. Frostpaw clenched her jaw, her tail twitching in anger. She wanted to claw that expression right off his dumb muzzle.

"Which could've had dire consequences," Swoopstrike growled, narrowing his eyes at Grovepelt. "And, he didn't even try to help Frostpaw after he pushed her in!"

"…You're right," Grovepelt said, inclining his head, conceding the point. "Dampfang, you should have paid more attention to your clan-mates. You will clean the elders' den and help them with their ticks for the next five days."

 _"What?"_ Dampfang growled, his smug look dissipating like morning fog on a hot day. "But, Frostpaw was—"

"It doesn't matter that Frostpaw was standing by the river. She wouldn't've fallen in if you hadn't hit her, frog-brain!" Swoopstrike hissed, cutting him off.

Dampfang silently glowered at Swoopstrike but didn't make a move towards him.

"Come on, let's start to head back to camp," Kestrelmoon muttered, breaking the tension in the air around the group.

Kestrelmoon nudged Frostpaw's side with his muzzle. Frostpaw slowly rose to her paws. She felt the water she had swallowed lurch in her stomach nauseatingly, but she was grateful that at least her lungs were clear, and she could breathe again. She did sway slightly on her paws though; her legs still weak.

"You can lean on me," Kestrelmoon said.

Frostpaw gave him a grateful nod and leaned some of her weight against the tom's cream-colored shoulder. Frostpaw glanced over at Pinepaw.

"I caught four frogs earlier," she said to her den-mate. "They are buried upstream next to a pool. I marked the spot with a purple flower."

Pinepaw gave a curt nod.

"I'm glad you're okay," she muttered, looking away from Frostpaw.

"Thanks," Frostpaw meowed, feeling a brief flash of warmth towards Pinepaw.

Swoopstrike led the way, stalking off into the grass. Kestrelmoon turned Frostpaw and him in his direction. As they padded off, Frostpaw saw Pinepaw pad over to Dampfang.

"I could help you with the elders, if you want," Pinepaw murmured to him in a low voice.

The fur down Dampfang's back prickled.

"I don't need anyone's help," he growled before turning and stalking off.

Pinepaw silently watched him go, her tail twitching before turning and padding back over to Grovepelt. Frostpaw and Kestrelmoon pushed their way into the tall grass, cutting the rest of the patrol from view.


	15. Broken Truce

After her fall in the river, it had been a slow journey back to camp for Frostpaw, and she had to stop once to throw up all the water sloshing around in her stomach. She had felt much better and less bloated afterwards though. Once they got to camp and saw Clearstream and Elmclaw, Swoopstrike had been given herbs and instructed to take the rest of the day easy. Frostpaw had wondered if the medicine cats had simply told him to take it easy because they knew that even if they told Swoopstrike to stay in his nest, he wouldn't unless they pinned him there.

However, Frostpaw had been given herbs to help her lungs and told to stay in her nest for a couple days so the medicine cats could make sure that the fluid had left her chest and infection would not set in. Honestly, Frostpaw hadn't minded staying a few days in the apprentices' den, waiting out the rain, especially since Redclaw doted on her, and from the entrance of the apprentices' den, she had a clear view of the elders den. So, she could watch Dampfang pick ticks off the elders with mouse-bile clutched in his jaws, and his nose wrinkled up in disgust.

After three days, Frostpaw was cleared back to normal duties and just in time too; in a few nights, the moon would be full, and it would be time for another gathering.

Frostpaw paced around camp eagerly, hardly able to keep still as she waited for Sedgestar's signal to leave. The bright, full moon hung fat and heavy in the jet black sky, shining down on the ShadowClan camp. Frostpaw glanced around at the cats chosen for the patrol. Autumnpaw was nearby, with Pinepaw a little ways away from him. Dawntail was grooming her grey side near Rowanheart. Grovepelt, Clearstream and Darkpelt were locked in a conversation. Hootflight, Leafbreeze and Swoopstrike were chatting by the camp entrance, but Sedgestar still hadn't emerged from his den.

Dampfang was sitting alone by the base of the Oak Tree. He had completed his punishment and had been picked to join the patrol too, but Frostpaw tried to not let his presence bring her down. Frostpaw just hoped he and Swoopstrike wouldn't ruin the gathering with a fight. They had been avoiding each other in camp, and this was the closest together they had been since the river incident.

Frostpaw's thoughts turned back to the gathering, and her stomach swirled with nerves. But, not about Dampfang.

_I'll finally be able to talk to Paledusk._

Frostpaw's heart jumped at the thought. It felt like it had been so long since she first saw the strange white tom, and he had said her mother's name. Frostpaw dug her claws in the damp earth. She felt like she could not stand to wait a moment longer in the dark. She had to know how he knew that name. Frostpaw paced closer to Autumnpaw.

"I'm surprised you're joining us," Pinepaw's voice said, interrupting her thoughts.

Frostpaw glanced at her and saw the black she-cat looking at her with narrowed eyes.

"I thought you'd want to stay in the apprentices' den and just have Redclaw wait on you," Pinepaw said, a slight sneer in her voice.

Frostpaw felt the fur down her back prickle and her muscles stiffen.

"Are you seriously mocking her for being pushed in the river and almost drowning?!" Autumnpaw snapped, immediately rising to his paws and coming to her defense.

Pinepaw blinked, her eyes widening as she looked taken aback.

"Of course I'm not saying I wished she drowned!" Pinepaw snapped. "But, did Frostpaw really need Redclaw carrying prey to her in her nest everyday? Her legs still work fine, don't they?"

Frostpaw glared at Pinepaw.

_Why does Pinepaw want to step on my tail?! I thought we had just started to get along more._

"I didn't ask Redclaw to bring me prey," Frostpaw said, her tail twitching behind her. "She did it because she wanted to."

"Well, you should've told her you didn't need her caring for you like a tiny kit," Pinepaw said, her fangs flashing slightly.

As Pinepaw locked a fierce amber gaze on Frostpaw, Frostpaw's ears pricked as she recognized the hot emotion swirling in their depts.

 _She's jealous? …Of_ **_me_** _?_

Frostpaw felt her fur flattening, and she felt the image of Pinepaw she held in her mind shift, like shadows being recast, revealing a whole new side to her.

 _"What?"_ Pinepaw snapped. "What are you staring at?"

"She's—!" Autumnpaw began, his fur bristling.

"It's fine," Frostpaw interrupted, flicking his side with her tail to signal for him to back off.

Autumnpaw's brow furrowed in confusion, but Frostpaw's gaze flickered back to Pinepaw's.

"I'm sure Redclaw would've done the same for you if you fell in the river. She likes to take care of us," Frostpaw meowed evenly.

Pinepaw just blinked at her, looking unsure of how to respond. Frostpaw twitched her ears, turning towards the sound of Sedgestar padding out of the Oak Tree den. The leader strode into the center of the camp, surveying his patrol.

"Let's go," he said, tail flicking.

The ShadowClan patrol crept though the forest towards Fourtrees without a sound. Frostpaw was close to Autumnpaw's side as the group reached the crest that led down into the hollow where the clans gathered and hesitated there. Frostpaw's heart hammered in anticipation as she lifted her muzzle to scent the breeze. She could see in the flickering through the dark undergrowth below them that the hollow was already swarming with cats. SkyClan, WindClan and RiverClan scent was on the breeze.

Sedgestar twitched his tail, signaling for the patrol to go. The ShadowClan cats silently streamed down the hillside. Frostpaw weaved behind Autumnpaw through the undergrowth that surrounded the hollow, her gaze scanning the crowd of cats ahead of them.

_Paledusk will be here right? I mean, he's SkyClan's deputy, so he must have come. Ugh, what if he's not here, and I have to wait who knows how many more moons before I can find out about how he knew May—_

"Frostpaw," Swoopstrike's voice cut into her thoughts, causing Frostpaw to jump slightly.

Swoopstrike padded over to her, his gaze narrowed. Frostpaw's brow furrowed as she studied his expression. He was wearing a wary look that she hadn't seen on his face for a while now.

_He's still suspicious of me? That I might betray ShadowClan?_

"Yes?" Frostpaw meowed hesitantly.

"Watch what you say. These fox-hearts will take any chance they can get to exploit us," he said with a rumbling growl as he glanced at the cats around the hollow.

"Of course, Swoopstrike," Frostpaw said in a quiet voice, and he shot her a final sidewise look before padding off.

Frostpaw's tail fell as she felt her heart plummet into her stomach.

_Despite all of our training together, Swoopstrike still doesn't trust me…_

"What was that about?" Autumnpaw muttered to Frostpaw as Swoopstrike walked away.

Frostpaw just shook her head mutely, her whiskers drooping.

"Well, never-mind that," Autumnpaw said, catching a glance of her fallen expression.

Frostpaw heard his voice become forcibly cheerful as he tried to lighten her mood.

"Let's go find some apprentices to chat with," he meowed, "I think ShadowClan has the best relations with RiverClan right now. RiverClan'll be fun, right? We can ask them what fish tastes like."

As Frostpaw followed Autumnpaw away, her feet dragging, she felt like her paws had turned to lead. She thought she and Swoopstrike had grown closer during the moons that she'd been his apprentice. But, it looked like she was wrong.

_He still thinks I'm just a rogue, an outsider._

Frostpaw sunk her claws into the ground in frustration as she padded along. She wanted to tell him that she would never betray ShadowClan. But, that she still wanted to talk to Paledusk to find out what he knew about her mother. She wouldn't tell him any ShadowClan secrets or answer any prodding questions. She wanted answers from _him_. Frostpaw's tail twitched.

Still, she knew that trying to explain this to Swoopstrike would be foolish. His nature was already prone to suspicion, and Frostpaw had a feeling that if she told him about her plan, he might jump straight to declaring her intentions treasonous.

Frostpaw's stomach flipped nervously at the thought.

 _Which, it's not,_ she assured herself.

How could asking Paledusk about her mother be treasonous? Her mother was dead. It had nothing to do with ShadowClan secrets. She didn't even want to be Paledusk's friend. She just wanted to know what he knew about May.

 _How is that treasonous? It's not,_ she repeated.

But, Frostpaw felt another thought gnawing at the back of her mind.

 _But, what if he didn't just know May… what if Paledusk is your father?_ it whispered.

Frostpaw shoved the thought away.

_Don't be frog-brained. Why would I think that? There's no proof._

Frostpaw's thick-furred tail twitched.

Still, she felt like she would give almost anything if Paledusk could give her even a tiny insight, a _fragment_ of a piece of May, of her family. Some sliver that Frostpaw could carry with her in her heart, to remind her of May, to better understand May, to make her feel less isolated on those depressing days when she remembered how alone she really was. Like when she saw Snakeeyes with Rowanheart and their kits, watching them with such fierce pride. When she saw Larkfoot sharing tongues with Dewleaf, the two wrapped in contented silence like nothing was better than their shared presence. Or, when she saw Redclaw chatting with Pinepaw. Even though Pinepaw may cast Frostpaw jealous looks, and Redclaw may happily carry fresh-kill to Frostpaw, in her nest, Frostpaw still knew, Redclaw wasn't her real mother.

The crowd of cats Autumnpaw was leading her through was thick, and Frostpaw found it easy enough to slow her pace, cutting herself off from the sight of her friend's dark ginger pelt. Frostpaw veered off from the direction Autumnpaw was padding in, and instead made her way through the crowd of talking cats, heading towards the tall, shadowed Great Rock. The top was bare right now; the leaders hadn't taken their places yet, but Frostpaw hoped that them, and their deputies, would be hanging around nearby.

_Except for Sedgestar and Grovepelt._

Her tail twitched guiltily at the thought, but she knew that if her leader or deputy saw her talking to the SkyClan deputy, there was a good chance Swoopstrike would find out too. And, she couldn't risk that happening. As Frostpaw approached the great, towering stone, she felt the nervousness inside her swirl in her stomach and nip at her muscles even more violently than before. The Great Rock looked even bigger up close, and it loomed over her forebodingly. It jutted up at an angle, blotting out the light of the moon as Frostpaw came closer and stepped into its shadow. Frostpaw's ears flattened. She felt like she could feel the weight of the rock pressing down at her, and she half expected that it would come crashing down at any moment now, crushing her. Frostpaw took a deep breath and held it in her lungs, trying to wrestle control back from the sudden blizzard of raging anxiety that stormed inside her. It was at that moment, when she padded around a corner of the Great Rock that she spotted the white tom.

Paledusk was sitting a little ways away from the base of the Great Rock, a few fox-lengths away from her. He was facing away from Frostpaw and looking out into the crowd, his green eyes even and his expression smooth and unreadable as he swept his gaze over the chattering cats. Sitting alone, he cut a regal silhouette in the moonlight, like a lone white flower blooming in a sea of blue-green moss. His long, pale fur was immaculately groomed, and it fell down his sides in a sleek unbroken wave.

Frostpaw's goal reappeared in her mind, and she steadied herself to approach him. She didn't have much time. Soon enough Sedgestar or Grovepelt would arrive here, or someone would go speak to the SkyClan deputy, ruining her chance. Frostpaw forced her feet forward.

"Paledusk?" Frostpaw meowed, emerging from the shadows cast from the Great Rock.

The white tom's tufted ears pricked in surprise, and he turned towards her. It was Frostpaw's first close, clear look at the SkyClan's deputy's face, and she realized his white pelt was not as unbroken as she previously thought. Paledusk had one scar across his face; it snaked from under his eye and across his cheekbone like a crescent moon. Still, he was a handsome tom, with large, clear green eyes, which swept over Frostpaw coldly.

"Yes? Who are you?" Paledusk said in a deep, rumbling voice.

"…My name is Frostpaw," Frostpaw began, her voice trembling slightly.

She swallowed hard, trying to bury her nervousness, not wanting the intimidating SkyClan deputy to notice it.

"I'm a ShadowClan apprentice," she continued. "We met briefly, a few gatherings ago. You called me the name 'May.'"

Paledusk's white tail twitched slightly, but he was silent, like he was waiting for her to continue.

"Do you remember?" Frostpaw pressed.

"I recall," Paledusk drawled haughtily, inclining his head.

"Wh-why did you call me that?" Frostpaw stammered.

Paledusk's green eyes narrowed.

"I was surprised because you resemble a rogue I knew briefly a few seasons ago," he said with a careless flick of his tail. "That was her name."

"I think that rogue you are talking about is my mother," Frostpaw said, the words rushing out of her quickly now as her heart hammered in her chest. "She looked like me, and her name was also May. We joined ShadowClan when I was little, but she died soon afterwards."

"Ah," Paledusk said, twitching his ears dismissively at the mention of May's death. "Possibly. It's hard to say. I didn't know her well, only caught her sniffing around SkyClan territory a couple of times."

Frostpaw felt her stomach clench at his words, her ears flattening.

_If he barely knew her, how would he know her name? And, why would he have looked so startled a few moons ago to see me?_

Frostpaw hesitated, her heart hammering in her chest as the questions that she really wanted to ask about her mother lingered on her tongue.

_Is Paledusk… lying to me?_

The SkyClan deputy seemed so confident though. His eyes were cool and certain. There wasn't any hint of anything in his expression which showed he might be hiding something.

"Re-Really?" Frostpaw asked haltingly. "I just mean… You seemed pretty surprised when you saw me so…"

"I was simply caught off guard to see what I thought was a rogue at the Gathering," Paledusk snapped, cutting her off, his tone growing more and more impatient as he locked his cold green eyes on her.

Frostpaw froze in place, her eyes wide, like a mouse trapped in the gaze of a hunter with nowhere to flee.

"…Are you questioning me, apprentice?" Paledusk said, a hint of his fangs baring as he growled out the words.

His previously smooth, expressionless face became stormier by the moment, and Frostpaw's heart began to beat harder at the darkening of his gaze. Icy fear trickled into her veins.

"No. No. I just thought—" Frostpaw stammered, cowering slightly.

"Listen closely," Paledusk hissed in a hushed voice, his gaze suddenly becoming frighteningly intense as he leaned in, looming over Frostpaw.

Frostpaw's muscles tensed. He was so close now, Frostpaw could feel the heat of his breath stir her whiskers.

"There is nothing that I care about more than SkyClan. Nothing!" Paledusk hissed, a manic energy burning in his green eyes. "I don't know what you think you're up to, _apprentice_ , but heed this: if you spread any baseless rumors that threaten me or my Clan, I promise you, all of SkyClan will be breathing down your and ShadowClan's neck before you can say 'mouse.' Got it? And, any tragedies that befall ShadowClan because of it will be all. Your. Fault."

Frostpaw swallowed, taking a quick pace backwards, away from the tom, her heart hammering so hard she thought it might beat out of her chest.

"Now get out of my sight, furball," Paledusk spat.

Frostpaw obeyed. She wanted to turn tail and bolt, but with all of the cats around that would draw unwanted attention. So, without another word, Frostpaw pivoted around and padded off. On the outside, her pace looked reasonable, but inside, she was fighting her legs to keep her from shooting forward, clawing up the ground. Frostpaw's pelt prickled with nervousness as she dived into the crowd, twining her way through the thronging group of cats, her hurried gaze jumping from cat to cat, scanning for the sight of a familiar pelt. She let out a huge sigh of relief when Autumnpaw's red and white pelt came into her view, and she couldn't stop herself from haring over to where he was talking with Larchpaw of SkyClan, and two other apprentices that smelt like fish— RiverClan presumably.

"So then, when I had the WindClan warrior pinned, Poolpaw sprang over and— Oh! Frostpaw there you are, are you alright?" Autumnpaw asked as Frostpaw appeared at his side, her eyes still wide with fright.

Frostpaw attempted to flatten her bristling pelt, unsure of what to tell her den-mate, and the other apprentices, all of who were peering at her with mixed looks of concern and curiosity.

"I just had the most horrible conversation!" Frostpaw said, giving her pelt a shake, like she was trying to shake off the memory of the interaction.

"What happened? Was it WindClan?" Autumnpaw growled, raising his head to sweep his gaze fiercely over the cats in the area surrounding them.

"No… it was…" Frostpaw muttered, shooting an awkward glance at Larchpaw. "I wound up talking to Paledusk…and he…"

Larchpaw winced sympathetically as Frostpaw trailed off, not wanting to insult the SkyClan apprentice.

"Paledusk can be severe," she admitted. "But, he's got SkyClan's best interests at heart."

_SkyClan's? Or his own?_

But, Frostpaw didn't say her doubts out loud. Instead she just nodded.

"I shouldn't have bothered him," she muttered, shuffling her paws.

Autumnpaw gave her a small, affectionate shove.

"Hey, buck up! It's a gathering after all, we're supposed to be having fun!"

Autumnpaw flicked his tail at the RiverClan cats.

"This is Finchpaw and Otterpaw from RiverClan," he said, giving them both a nod.

Finchpaw was a sandy colored tom, and Otterpaw was a sleek dark brown she-cat. They blinked politely at Frostpaw as they were introduced.

"Hello, I'm Frostpaw," Frostpaw said with a friendly twitch of her whiskers, pushing the thoughts of Paledusk away. "How long have you two been training?"

"About a moon," Finchpaw said in a soft spoken voice, looking down at his soft-furred paws.

"And, three moons for me," Otterpaw said, raising her chin. "But, this is both of our first gatherings."

"We've been training for around three moons too," Autumnpaw said, flicking his tail to indicate himself and Frostpaw. "This is our second gathering."

"Lucky," Otterpaw said with a huff, shaking her head. "My littermate, Hailpaw, is our medicine cat apprentice, so she's gotten to go to all three gatherings since we started training."

Otterpaw shot a jealous glance at the edge of the hollow were the medicine cats gathered.

"Hey, there you guys are," Pinepaw's voice said.

Frostpaw turned her head to see her padding up to the group. Autumnpaw's ears pricked in surprise at his sister's appearance.

"I thought you'd be hanging out with Dampfang," Autumnpaw said.

Pinepaw's fur fluffed out defensively, and for a heartbeat, it looked like she was going to snap at him. But, then the dark she-cat just looked away and shrugged.

"He's busy talking to some _warriors,_ " she muttered, an edge of bitterness to her voice. "About some important _warrior_ -stuff."

"What important stuff does Dampfang have to talk about?" Autumnpaw said with an eye-roll. "How to spend all day telling everyone how great you are?"

Frostpaw thought Pinepaw would defend Dampfang, like she always did, but instead Pinepaw just let out a quiet huff of amusement, taking a seat by Frostpaw and Autumnpaw, her gaze flickering to the other nearby apprentices.

"SkyClan and RiverClan?" she meowed, guessing by their scents.

The other apprentices nodded, confirming.

"Huh, your Clans are neighbors. Do SkyClan and RiverClan get along?" Pinepaw asked, tilting her head.

Frostpaw's eyes widened slightly at the blunt question, but the other Clans' apprentices didn't seem offended by Pinepaw's curiosity.

"Yeah, we hardly cross paths," Larchpaw meowed with shrug. "They're all the way on the other side of the river."

"And, SkyClan wouldn't jump into the water, even if their fur was on fire!" Otterpaw said with a huff of amusement.

Everyone purred, but Frostpaw noticed Otterpaw eyeing the ShadowClan apprentices from the corner of her gaze. She saw an odd gleam in the RiverClan cat's eye.

"Although I suppose we're lucky that RiverClan and ShadowClan are not neighbors. ShadowClan must not care too much about getting their pelts wet right?" Otterpaw continued. "I mean, your territory is so marshy, half of it practically must be underwater. You'd probably feel right at home in RiverClan."

Frostpaw felt some of her fur start to rise. Although Otterpaw's tone was light and friendly, she couldn't shake the creeping feeling that the RiverClan appreciate was trying to stir up trouble, like she was poking at a den of adders.

"Not really. It's much more like mud than a river," Autumnpaw chimed in, appearing totally oblivious. "No swimming required…usually."

Frostpaw's blue gaze met Pinepaw's amber one. She saw Pinepaw's eyes narrow almost imperceptibly, and Frostpaw saw a question in her gaze. A sort of _"Did you hear that too?"_ Frostpaw gave a faint nod, and Pinepaw turned away, back towards Otterpaw.

"Are you suggesting that if we were neighbors, ShadowClan would attack RiverClan?" Pinepaw asked, a quiet warning in her tone. "Even though we're on good terms with you all?"

"Sure, right now," Otterpaw said with a dismissive tail-flick. "But, we're on the other side of the forest from you. All I'm saying is, who knows what it would like to be your neighbor. After all, you all aren't the friendliest with ThunderClan and WindClan."

"Of course we have the most trouble with them. Their territory borders ours, so they are the ones that are most able to steal our prey or trespass," Pinepaw said with an eye roll. "But, that doesn't mean that we purposefully aggravate them. If they stayed on their sides of the scent-markers, we wouldn't have a problem."

Otterpaw shrugged.

"I'm just saying that every kit knows ShadowClan is the most aggressive, prickly clan. Our elders say that the cold northern winds that blow over your territory chill your hearts," Otterpaw said, her gaze flickering to Larchpaw and to Finchpaw as if to confirm. "It might be hard to be neighbors with cats like that."

Autumnpaw flattened his ears, and Pinepaw's lip curled up slightly. Even Frostpaw felt herself forcing the fur on her shoulders to lie flat.

"You better watch your tongue!" Autumnpaw snapped, baring his teeth.

Frostpaw lay her tail against Autumnpaw's side in a silent reminder to him that it was the night of the truce, but Frostpaw too felt indignant anger starting to bubble in her chest.

_ShadowClan hasn't even done anything to her or RiverClan! How can Otterpaw just sit here and insult us to our faces! Does she want to start a fight?!_

"Just because we aren't afraid to fight and defend what is ours, doesn't automatically make us 'prickly,'" Pinepaw said.

Pinepaw was trying really hard to keep the anger in the voice under control, although Frostpaw could still hear Pinepaw's teeth grinding as she forced out the mild words.

Otterpaw snickered but didn't reply. Pinepaw turned away from her, evidently done with this conversation. Frostpaw and Autumnpaw made their way to follow her, but Frostpaw noticed Otterpaw lean in close to Finchpaw.

"Spoken like a truly aggressive cat," Otterpaw whispered to Finchpaw, but in a voice loud enough to carry to the ShadowClan apprentices. "If they're going to be like this, it's a wonder that ShadowClan is even invited to the gatherings."

Frostpaw's, Pinepaw's and Autumnpaw's gazes all met. Frostpaw read their tense expressions, and she felt a silent agreement pass through them. It was a gathering, so no fighting of course, but they couldn't leave now with Otterpaw having got the last word. Autumnpaw raised his chin and turned on Otterpaw, stalking right up to her. Frostpaw and Pinepaw followed.

"Want to say that again to our faces?" Autumnpaw growled, narrowing his eyes at the sleek brown-furred apprentice. "You think we're aggressive, but you're the one that keeps stepping on our tails!"

"ShadowClan is just as much of a clan as RiverClan," Frostpaw said in a low voice, her ears flat against her head and tail twitching behind her. "We deserve our place at the gathering just as much as you."

Otterpaw raised her chin in response, but was silent.

"Huh, so you're a mouse-heart then; only strike when our backs are turned, right?" Pinepaw spat, her tail bushed out and twitching. "Why don't you run back to your camp and hide behind your river, little mouse."

Otterpaw's eyes narrowed in anger, but the apprentices' confrontation was interrupted when the bushes encircling the hollow shivered. The ThunderClan patrol came streaming out of them at a hurried pace with Morningstar was at its head. And, as they entered the hollow, his clan remained group tightly together, not spreading out to mingle with the others, while Morningstar charged right at the Great Rock, bounding up its side. At the apex of the boulder, Morningstar threw his head back, letting out a yowl to signal the gathering to begin.

"Let's go," Frostpaw muttered.

Pinepaw, Autumnpaw, and Frostpaw stalked away from the RiverClan apprentices, going to sit next to Hootflight and two SkyClan warriors. Morningstar waited on the boulder, his tail twitching impatiently as the other four leaders scrambled up the side of the Great Rock.

"I'll begin," Morningstar growled, not even waiting for the other leaders to sit down.

Frostpaw's gaze flickered to Sedgestar, wondering what her leader thought of Morningstar's impatient attitude, but Sedgestar's face was unreadable.

Morningstar turned towards Fennelstar, baring his teeth at the pale brown tom.

"Enough is enough," Morningstar snarled. "SkyClan continues to harass our patrols and hunt on our land. They show total disregard for our borders. I ask Fennelstar to explain his boorish behavior and flagrant disrespect of the warrior code."

The ThunderClan cats echoed Morningstar's speech with furious snarls and yowls. Fennelstar narrowed his eyes at Morningstar.

"Even _if_ SkyClan was on your land," Fennelstar said, his tail twitching slightly behind him. "It does not break the warrior code. Border skirmishes between clans happen all of the time. No law forbids it."

"So you still deny it!" Morningstar spat, the thick grey fur down his back bristling and his fangs flashing in the moonlight. "I don't believe you. No leader can be so ignorant to the actions of his warriors. Unless you really are that _entirely_ stupid."

SkyClan cats snarled at the insult, springing to their paws. Frostpaw's stomach flipped as she watched as ThunderClan turned towards them, claws unsheathing. Pinepaw's pelt was prickling. Autumnpaw shifted next to Frostpaw, his eyes widening in alarm. Frostpaw leaned closer to him, her muscles tensing in case the gathering around her burst into a battle. Frostpaw's gaze sought out Sedgestar on the Great Rock.

_Will he do something?_

Sedgestar had defused the tension between the ThunderClan leader and SkyClan leader at a gathering before, but now he hung back on the Great Rock, not moving. But, his clear gaze missed nothing between Morningstar and Fennelstar.

Fennelstar licked one of his paws, slowly drawing it across his whiskers like he was totally obviously to the crackling tension below him. But, Frostpaw could see his eyes were still sharp, narrowed slits.

"Maybe…" Fennelstar drawled. "If ThunderClan is so concerned with the doings of SkyClan, you should try stopping us with claws… Instead of just complaining about it at the gathering."

Fennelstar's gaze flickered around the hollow, taking in the bristling ThunderClan cats.

"That is of course… unless you are too weak or cowardly to fight," Fennelstar sneered.

Frostpaw's eyes widened, shocked.

_The nerve of him!_

The ThunderClan cats yowled battlecries.

 _"Gladly!"_ Acornear snarled from the base of the Great Rock.

The brown tom flung himself at Paledusk, sinking his claws into the thick white ruff of fur around the SkyClan deputy's neck. As suddenly as a flash of lightning, the clearing around Frostpaw exploded into a fight. Frostpaw saw Hootflight shoved aside as the two SkyClan cats he was sitting next to charged around them, yowling as they threw themselves into the fray. Frostpaw's eyes flew around the screaming, writhing cats in the clearing.

_What do we do?!_

"ShadowClan! Come on!" Grovepelt's voice rumbled as he bounded past the group with some other warriors in tow.

"Are we leaving?" Autumnpaw asked as the group dashed after the deputy.

"The truce has been broken. The gathering is over, and this is not our quarrel to fight," Grovepelt rumbled.

As if Grovepelt's words had summoned it, a darkness fell over the hollow, and the deep rumble of thunder cut through the yowls of the fighting cats. Frostpaw looked up to see angry, black storm clouds covering the sky, obscuring the full moon.

 _"StarClan is angry!"_ some cat wailed.

"This isn't over ThunderClan!" someone else snarled, and Frostpaw recognized the voice as Paledusk's.

The gathering had turned from thrashing chaos bathed in the silver light of the moon, to fleeing shadows that cast barely a flicker in the oppressive darkness.

"Everyone here?" Sedgestar's voice called as the ShadowClan cats gathered at the edge of the hollow.

"Yes," Grovepelt responded.

"Back to our territory," Sedgestar commanded. "And, quickly too."

As the ShadowClan cats ran from the hollow, a torrential down-pour began to fall.


	16. Enemies and Allies

It had only been a few sunrises since the broken truce of the gathering, and the ShadowClan camp was abuzz with energy. Even though the fighting had not directly involved them, everyone was still on edge, especially since the storm StarClan had sent after the gathering had raged all night and the next day. A branch from the Oak Tree had even broken off from the vicious winds and had fallen smack into the center of the camp, almost crushing Dustleap, who had been walking past at the time. Luckily, the wide limb had mostly missed him. He had only been grazed by the smaller branches at the end, so the ginger warrior just had some bruises and scratches to show from the close call.

The big, two fox-length long and tail-length wide, branch hadn't yet been moved out of the camp. It remained lying right in the center of the clearing, constantly reminding everyone that looked at it of what seemed to be a clear omen— StarClan was angry, and their anger was not limited to only ThunderClan and SkyClan.

It wasn't raining anymore now, though. It was sun-high, and there wasn't a cloud to be seen. The green-leaf sun was shining hotly down on the camp as cats lounged about, gossiping about the other clans, sharing tongues and eating prey.

Frostpaw had just got back from a hunting patrol, and she and Pinepaw were now carrying a pair of frogs to the nursery for Snakeeyes and her kits. After they had been fed, the apprentices could go get some prey for themselves. Snakeeyes' long, slinky form was sprawled out in a pool of sunlight in front of the nursery, watching her three kits tumbling a few tail-lengths in front of her with drowsy, half-lidded eyes. Frostpaw's gaze flickered to Lizardkit, and she watched the small white tom pounce on his brother, giving Yewkit's ear a sharp nip.

Lizardkit's deafness was now an open secret in ShadowClan. Every cat knew, but it was only talked about in hushed whispers. And, _especially_ no one talked about how it would impact his future in front of Snakeeyes. Unless they wanted to get their whiskers clawed off by her that is. Frostpaw had been keeping an eye on Lizardkit for the past couple of moons. He didn't speak, of course, but beyond that, he was still an oddly silent kit. He didn't meow or growl or yowl, even if one of his siblings nipped his tail too hard. Frostpaw had heard him purr before, though, and she wondered if maybe he didn't make growls or yowls because he never heard them, so didn't understand what they meant. But, he knew how to purr because he could feel the vibrations in his body and in the body's of other cats when they purred, like his mother or his litter-mates. Beyond his silence, though, he seemed to be a relatively normal kit. He at least got into the same amount of mischief that his litter-mates did.

Snakeeyes' gaze flickered open as Frostpaw and Pinepaw padded over to her, giving them a welcoming purr. Lizardkit disentangled himself from Yewkit and Lizardkit, bounding over to Frostpaw and Pinepaw, his tail raised and waving in greeting.

"Hello," Frostpaw purred to Snakeeyes and the kits.

She raised and waved her tail back at Lizardkit. Snakeeyes, Rowanheart and their kits had started to develop their own sort of language to talk to Lizardkit. Some signs were easy; cats already often greeted each other by raising their tail and vibrating it in a small wave, so it had been simple for Snakeeyes to adopt that and teach it to Lizardkit as a way to say "hello." Frostpaw had made an effort to try to learn the signs as well. When she was a kit, without a family, she had felt so isolated and alone. She didn't want Lizardkit to feel the same way, being only able to talk to his litter-mates or his parents his whole life.

"Hi Frostpaw!" Featherkit squeaked excitedly. "Is that frog for us?"

Featherkit signed her words as she spoke them, splaying her paws out like webbed feet to mean "frog," then flicking her tail to indicate the cats around her, as in "Our frog?"

"Yes," Frostpaw said, being sure to nod too, so Lizardkit understood, as she drop the frog by the kits.

Featherkit and Yewkit had learned to speak right along with Lizardkit learned to sign, and they were just as fluent in signing as Lizardkit was. It seemed like Featherkit and Yewkit were in constant motion every time Frostpaw spoke to them, the signs coming to them just as easily as words.

Pinepaw carried the other frog over to Snakeeyes as Lizardkit swiftly signed _thank you_ by blinking his eyes before bending his head to take a big bite of the frog.

"I'm glad you came to bring us fresh-kill!" Snakeeyes purred to Frostpaw as she padded over to the queen. "I've got some more signs to show you!"

Snakeeyes taught Frostpaw the sign for hunt, a crouch, which seemed obvious enough.

"And, Lizardkit came up with these next signs," Snakeeyes said, her chin raised with pride.

She showed Frostpaw the sign for bird, a swift swish of a claw. And, a sign for strength, a slight arching of the back in combination with the straightening of the tail. Frostpaw copied them and Snakeeyes nodded her head in approval.

"I'm also working on something new with Lizardkit," Snakeeyes said. "I'm hoping that he will be able to watch our mouths and figure out the words we are saying by the shape of our mouths and our expressions. I'm pairing words with signs to teach him what signs go with what mouth shape. He's starting to get it. And, I think him being around his litter-mates definitely help, since they sign everything they say anyway!"

"Wow! That's such an amazing idea!" Frostpaw said, her eyes stretched wide. "Then he'll be able to understand everyone that talks to him!"

Snakeeyes nodded, her gaze shining with pride and satisfaction.

"Soon nothing will be able to stop him," she said.

Frostpaw purred. Her chest filled with warmth for the queen. And, for Lizardkit. He was fortunate to have such a supportive and fierce mother. Snakeeyes stretched languidly, her back arching inwards as she stretched each hind leg out behind her individually.

"I'm just going to step out of camp for a moment and walk around the barrier. Do you have any duties to attend to or do you mind keeping an eye on them for a few moments? I feel like I'm dying to stretch my legs; it's hard work being stuck in the nursery for moons!" Snakeeyes said.

"No worries," Frostpaw said, waving her tail to send Snakeeyes off. "I'll keep them out of trouble."

"You're the best Frostpaw!" Snakeeyes purred with an affectionate blink.

She playfully swatted at Frostpaw's ear with her thin white tail as she padded off, but Frostpaw dodged the blow, ducking swiftly.

"You're getting quicker!" Snakeyes laughed over her shoulder.

"Of course I am! Swoopstrike's been training me," Frostpaw purred.

Frostpaw watched the queen pad off towards the thorn tunnel for a moment before turning her head back towards the kits. Frostpaw blinked in surprise to see that Pinepaw was still there, sitting a few tail-lengths away from the still eating kittens. Frostpaw had thought Pinepaw would've left to eat something herself while she and Snakeeyes had been talking. Pinepaw looked away when Frostpaw glanced at her; the air around her seemed to be a mixture of embarrassment and wary curiosity. After a moment of hesitation, Frostpaw closed the small distance between the two of them, giving Pinepaw a friendly blink.

"Did you hear what Snakeeyes was telling me about teaching Lizardkit to understand what words go with mouth-shape?" Frostpaw meowed in an even voice, like having Pinepaw still hanging around with her was the most natural thing in the world.

Frostpaw knew better than to ask Pinepaw why she was still there. The prickly apprentice would view such a direct question as accusatory and get defensive. Then all Frostpaw would succeed in would be getting her whiskers clawed off, or Pinepaw stalking off. Or, both most likely.

Pinepaw nodded silently, her expression stiff.

"That's pretty cool isn't it? Soon it'll be like he's no different than any hearing cat," Frostpaw said, turning from Pinepaw to watch the kits.

The kittens had finished eating and now were grooming the last bits of food from their whiskers. Frostpaw watched Lizardkit twist his head around to try to flatten an unruly piece of fur on his back with swift licks of his tongue. Frostpaw felt Pinepaw shift slightly beside her as she relaxed a bit as they watched the kits.

"That's not true though, right? How will he hear orders in battle?" she asked in a low voice. "When it's dark or when there are a lot of cats swarming around so it's confusing for him to see?"

Now it was Frostpaw's turn to tense up. Her tail flicked behind her uncertainty.

"I don't know," she admitted. "It will still be hard for him. Harder than normal. But, Lizardkit is very smart. He must be to figure it out. He's already figured out this whole new language. He even makes his own signs for new things now and teaches them to his family!"

Frostpaw glanced over at Pinepaw, and she thought she saw an impressed expression on the black-furred she-cat's face.

"Would you like to learn a few signs?" Frostpaw meowed, her voice becoming a bit shy.

The question was a gamble. Frostpaw wasn't sure if Pinepaw would ever accept learning anything from Frostpaw.

_She is so proud, and I'm just a lowly rogue to her. What could I teach her?_

And, sure enough, Pinepaw tensed up like Frostpaw had just asked her if she wanted to eat fox-dung. Frostpaw looked away from her, feeling a flash of bitterness.

"Forget I—" Frostpaw began, her tail twitching.

"Okay," Pinepaw said curtly, interrupting her.

Frostpaw's ears pricked in surprise. She turned to look at Pinepaw, wide-eyed. The she-cat next to her was still stiff, her ears slightly angled back, but she had agreed!

"I— oh— okay," Frostpaw said quickly. "…That's great! I know Lizardkit will be really happy to have someone else able to talk to him!"

Frostpaw rose to her feet and padded closer to the kits. Pinepaw followed her just a footfall behind.

"Hey guys!" Frostpaw called, waving her tail to get their attention.

The three little kit-faces turned to look at her. Yewkit's tongue still peeked out of his mouth, caught mid-groom.

"Pinepaw would like to learn some signs so she can talk to Lizardkit! Do you think you could show us?" Frostpaw asked, settling down into a comfortable crouch in front of the kits and tucking her paws under her body.

Pinepaw hesitated for a moment before sitting a tail-length away from her.

"Sure!" Featherkit said before giving Yewkit a shove. "Hey! Your tongue is hanging out, frog-brain!"

"Oops," Yewkit said, closing his mouth, making Frostpaw purr. "What do you want to learn Pinepaw?"

"Er—," Pinepaw said, shifting uncertainly. "Maybe how to tell him my name?"

As Featherkit and Yewkit showed Pinepaw the correct motions to sign a greeting and the parts of her name, the signs for _pine_ and for _paw,_ which also had a double-meaning— either an actual paw or an apprentice, Lizardkit came bounding over to Frostpaw, disinterested in his siblings explanation of signs. He greeted Frostpaw with a purr, then nuzzled into her fluffy side, his bright blue eyes blinking sleepily like he was on the verge of nodding off after his big meal. Frostpaw purred back at him and leaned over to groom flat the piece of stubborn fur on his back that Lizardkit hadn't been able to get himself. But, then Frostpaw nudged his face with his muzzle to wake him up, and flicking her tail at Pinepaw to draw his attention to her.

"I think she has something to say to you," Frostpaw said, accompanying her words with rudimentary signs, which she hoped Lizardkit understood.

Lizardkit blinked curiously at Frostpaw before turning his gaze to Pinepaw. The other kits had finished explaining the signs to Pinepaw, and she now turned towards Lizardkit.

"Um… hello," Pinepaw said. "Wait… I mean— hello."

This time Pinepaw waved her tail in greeting along with her words.

Lizardkit waved his tail back, his gaze curious. Frostpaw saw Pinepaw's face brighten at his encouraging response.

"My name is Pinepaw," she said, touching her paw to her chest to indicate herself, before signing "paw;" shaking her own paw to indicate it, followed by "pine," which is a sign that involved bristling out your straight tail.

 _Not to be confused with the sign for "fear" which involved bristling out your_ ** _curved_** _tail,_ Frostpaw reminded herself.

Lizardkit perked up, his little face becoming excited. He rose to his feet and signed back _I'm Lizardkit._

The "kit" sign was a little different from the apprentice one. Lizardkit still waved his paw, but it was with the foot curled inward, towards himself. The sign for a warrior was also a wave of the paw, similar to the apprentice sign, but with the claws extended.

"He said his name is Lizardkit," Featherkit said helpfully.

"I know his name," Pinepaw said, her ears flattening in a way that looked a little flustered.

"But, you didn't know how to say his name in the way he would understand it," Yewkit meowed helpfully. "Now you do!"

"Oh… right," Pinepaw said, her brow furrowing slightly.

Lizardkit was still watching Pinepaw with interest, like he was hoping for her to continue.

"Why don't we play a game?" Frostpaw cut in, rising to her paws.

"Let's play moss-ball!" Yewkit yowled.

"Let me find some moss!" Featherkit said, whirling around in a circle, her eyes wide as she scanned the area around them.

Lizardkit shot over to his siblings, going from sleepy to wide awake almost instantly when the prospect of a game appeared.

Pinepaw and Frostpaw's gazes met. Pinepaw rolled her eyes exaggeratedly at the rumbustiousness of the kits, and Frostpaw stifled a purr. But, then a dark shadow drifted over Pinepaw's face. Her head jerked up suddenly.

"I smell ThunderClan," Pinepaw growled.

Frostpaw tasted the air, her heart dropping into her stomach. Pinepaw was right. ThunderClan's musty, nutty scent had twined its way into the clear, powerful odor of the ShadowClan camp. ThunderClan warriors were close.

Frostpaw's gaze followed Pinepaw's towards the bramble barrier and the tunnel entrance in it. Frostpaw's stomach went tight with nerves as she saw the brambles shake, and she tensed her muscles, springing in front of the kits, her teeth and claws bared as she prepared to see enemy warriors come streaming through the tunnel. But, it was Dawntail that emerged. The grey and white warrior's expression was tight, but calm. Frostpaw's stance relaxed as the swirling fear and aggression in her stomach settled. Her gaze slid behind her clan-mate to see Morningstar emerge from the tunnel just after Dawntail. After Morningstar came Acornear, the ThunderClan deputy. Then the rest of the ShadowClan patrol entered behind him, flanking the ThunderClan warriors.

"ThunderClan?" Featherkit echoed, her voice a squeak as she peered around Frostpaw's legs. "Are those cats from ThunderClan?"

"Yes," Frostpaw said quietly. "The grey cat is Morningstar, their leader. The tabby is Acornear, the deputy."

"Why are they here?" Yewkit said, gazing at the unfamiliar cats in confusion.

Frostpaw's gaze sought Pinepaw's and their eyes met.

"I don't know," Frostpaw meowed.

Lizardkit rose to his paws, his expression quizzical. He took a few steps in the direction of the ThunderClan warriors. Frostpaw quickly thumped her tail down in front of him. His clear blue eyes flickered up towards her, and Frostpaw firmly shook her head at him. Getting the message, Lizardkit took a seat, content to watch the strangers from the distance. The ThunderClan cats remained surrounded by the ShadowClan patrol in the center of camp, while Dawntail slipped into the leader's den at the roots of the Oak Tree to get Sedgestar. The quiet buzz of conversation that had filled the camp moments before the enemy warriors' appearance was silenced, and now everyone around camp just silently stared wide-eyed at the ThunderClan cats like a big group of owls. Frostpaw saw Acornear and Morningstar shift uncomfortable under the heat of so many eyes. Frostpaw's gaze flittered over their coats. The ThunderClan cats seemed unusually skinny, considering it was still the heart of green-leaf.

"How do I tell Lizardkit that it's ThunderClan's leader?" Frostpaw whispered to Featherkit, keeping her voice low to prevent attention being drawn to her.

Featherkit touched one of her paws to her forehead.

"This means _leader,"_ she meowed in a soft voice.

Featherkit rubbed her cheek against Yewkit's.

"And, this means _clan._ Like, because clan-mates like each other and share tongues," Featherkit said before hesitating, her expression unsure. "But, I don't know how to tell him that it's ThunderClan."

Frostpaw touched Lizardkit's flank with her tail to get his attention. His gaze flickered over to her. Frostpaw twitched her tail in Morningstar's direction before touching her paw to her forehead and leaning down to rub her cheek against Lizardkit's. When Frostpaw lifted her head, Lizardkit's eyes were round with confusion. Lizardkit flicked his tail towards Sedgestar's den before signing _clan_ _leader_ back at her.

Frostpaw's brow furrowed.

_He thinks I mean Sedgestar._

Frostpaw shook her head at him. She leaned down, rubbing her cheek against his to sign _clan_ again. Then when she raised her head, she tapped her paw on the ground five times, one for each of the five clans to show it was a different leader. Frostpaw wasn't sure if Lizardkit totally understood, but the confusion clouding his gaze cleared, and his ears pricked in interest. His paws and tail began to move too quickly in signs for Frostpaw to understand, but they were interrupted when Snakeeyes reappeared, stalking quickly over to her kits, gathering them up towards her. Frostpaw saw the queen shoot a suspicious look towards the ThunderClan cats.

Then, Sedgestar and Grovepelt emerged from the leader's den, followed closely by Dawntail. Sedgestar met his gaze evenly to Morningstar's, his head and tail held high.

"Greetings, Morningstar," Sedgestar said, his voice cooly polite but not hostile. "Dawntail told me that her patrol found you and your deputy at the border, waiting for an escort. What do you need from ShadowClan?"

"Sedgestar," Morningstar greeted him, bowing his head deeply in a sign of respect towards the ShadowClan leader. "I was hoping that us and our deputies could speak in private. I came to discuss a sensitive matter."

Frostpaw saw a somewhat amused expression creep across Sedgestar's face.

"I know this may come as a surprise to you because I am aware of ShadowClan's secretive reputation among the other clans," Sedgestar said, his whiskers twitching slightly. "But, we are only reserved with outsiders. Within this camp, there are no secrets among my warriors."

Sedgestar inclined his head towards the Oak Tree.

"But, we may go speak in my den, if it makes you more comfortable. Just know that as soon as you're gone, my clan will hear about all that's transpired," Sedgestar said.

Morningstar's ears twitched back in a displeased expression, but the ThunderClan leader did not move towards the den.

"Very well then," Morningstar rumbled. "We can speak here."

Sedgestar took a seat on the damp earth in the center of camp, nodding for Morningstar to continue. ThunderClan's grey leader took a deep breath.

"I will not mince words. I came to ask if ShadowClan will aid ThunderClan in our fight against SkyClan," Morningstar growled.

Frostpaw's eyes widened in surprise. _SkyClan._ But, her surprise quickly soured to fear, and she felt a river of cold run through her as the recent memory of Paledusk at the gathering flashed in her mind. Frostpaw glanced around the camp. She saw her emotions of surprise reflected back to her on her clan-mate's faces, but they didn't look as frightened as she felt. Frostpaw gave her pelt a small shake, trying to shake away the memory of Paledusk's fierce and cruel eyes, as ShadowClan waited in silence for Sedgestar to respond.

Sedgestar tilted his head, his smooth expression and calm amber eyes giving no hint of his thoughts away.

"I mean no offense to ThunderClan when I say this," Sedgestar meowed in an even voice. "But, why should ShadowClan help you? I must think of my clan-mates health and safety before those of ThunderClan's. Why should I put my cats at risk for ThunderClan's sake?"

"SkyClan has been threatening my clan for moons now," Morningstar said with a growl. "They hunt on our land, raid our camp. They are relentless. If left unchecked, they may very well come for ShadowClan next. You are shortsighted if you believe that they are only a threat to ThunderClan."

Frostpaw's brow furrowed as she recalled Grovepelt's words from a few training sessions ago that distance meant nothing to a power-hungry cat.

_But, Grovepelt and Sedgestar do realized they could be a threat!_

Frostpaw saw a few of her clan-mates shift in anger at the "shortsighted" insult, and she even saw Dampfang across camp bare his teeth. Still, Sedgestar's expression gave nothing of his emotions away.

"Why come to us though?" Sedgestar said smoothly. "If SkyClan is such a threat, surely RiverClan, who also shares borders with them, would be more willing to help you. Or, even WindClan perhaps?"

Morningstar snorted.

"WindClan is more likely to grow wings and learn to fly than to help us," he rumbled. "Remember, we went to war with them only a few seasons ago, during leaf-bare. Rabbitstar has not forgotten that so quickly. As, for RiverClan, I already spoke with Willowstar. She will do nothing. She says that she doesn't think SkyClan is a threat, and that we are exaggerating our claims about them. I suspect that she has made some sort of truce with them."

The ThunderClan leader had started pacing agitatedly, his tail lashing and his fur rising on his shoulders.

"I think SkyClan promised her hunting rights on both sides of the river if they take our territory, and we get driven out of the forest," Morningstar said, closing his eyes for a moment as he gave a bitter growl.

"Do you think that's what SkyClan is trying to do?" Sedgestar asked, his eyes flashing sharply. "Drive you out?"

Morningstar shook his head. His fur flattened and his shoulders sagged. The large grey leader suddenly looked much smaller. He gazed hollowly down at the ground.

"I don't know. It seems like it though. You know that the last leaf-bare the forest experienced was the longest and coldest memory. ThunderClan made it through, but only barely. But, since SkyClan has been at our throats for moons now, we haven't been able to recover. We should be fat and sleek in the height of green-leaf, but look at us. We look like half-starved rats. We don't have the strength to drive back SkyClan alone," Morningstar mumbled.

Frostpaw's eyes widened in shock at Morningstar's brutal honesty.

_Sedgestar would never dream of admitting such weakness in the middle of an enemy camp!_

Frostpaw's gaze flickered to Acornear for a moment, as she wondered what he thought of his leader's admittance, but the deputy said nothing. He simply stood at his leader's side, his brow furrowed and his jaw set. Morningstar's gaze rose back to Sedgestar's.

"Please Sedgestar. I know you are an honorable cat, and you won't fall to Fennelstar's silver-tongue as Willowstar has," Morningstar said, his deep voice imploring. "ThunderClan needs your help to battle SkyClan, before it's too late for us. We still have a couple moons of green-leaf left, if StarClan is good and the frost doesn't come early this year and scare all the prey to their burrows… With the might of fearsome ShadowClan with us, SkyClan will be forced back behind their borders, and we will be able to access our best hunting-grounds again. And, ThunderClan will be able to recover before leaf-bare comes. But, if not… I fear ThunderClan will have to leave the forest. Or, else die here in the snow."

Total silence had fallen over the cats, and Sedgestar was silent too, his tail swishing thoughtfully behind him. Frostpaw bit the inside of her cheek, anticipating nipping at her as her thoughts whirled anxiously. As the silence wore on, Morningstar met Sedgestar's gaze evenly, and Frostpaw saw some strength return to the ThunderClan leader's eyes.

"There is something else you should know," Morningstar said so quietly, Frostpaw had to strain her ears to hear him. "If you choose not to help us… I cannot promise that our borders will remain peaceful anymore."

Frostpaw flattened her ears. She sensed the mood of the ShadowClan cats around her shift dramatically as everyone tensed up in the face of the threat. Frostpaw saw the hackles on Sedgestar start to rise.

"This is not a threat," Morningstar meowed quickly. "But, I don't know if I can keep my authority when my cats begin starving. They will do whatever it takes to survive. Surely, you must understand that?"

Frostpaw saw Sedgestar give a single nod, flattening his hackles, and the camp relaxed somewhat.

Sedgestar shifted and rose to his paws.

"Thank you for telling me this," Sedgestar said. "I will think on what you've said here, consult with our ancestors, as well as my deputy and medicine cats, then send word, letting you know of my decision in no more than a quarter of a moon."

"Mouse-dung. Why do you need to wait and consult our ancestors?" Acornear snapped, speaking up for the first time. "You think there's any chance StarClan approves of an entire clan being driven out?"

"Enough Acornear," Morningstar said, but Frostpaw thought he sounded more resigned than angry.

Morningstar dipped his head to Sedgestar.

"A quarter moon is fair. We will eagerly await your response," he meowed.

Sedgestar nodded.

"Darkpelt and Rowanheart can escort you to the border," Sedgestar said.

Acornear gave a soft growl at the mention of an escort, but he didn't say anything more. The ThunderClan cats left camp with the two warriors flanking them. Once the bramble tunnel stopped shaking, and the ThunderClan scent in the air was fading, the camp exploded into conversation. Autumnpaw came bounding over to Pinepaw and Frostpaw, a whirlwind of auburn and white fur.

"Can you believe it?" he asked, his eyes gleaming in excitement. "ThunderClan's leader, in our camp, _begging_ for our help!"

"What do you think we should do?" Frostpaw asked, shifting on her paws anxiously.

Her stomach twisted. She felt too overwhelmed by the moral dilemma Morningstar proposed to find the fact that the ThunderClan leader was in their camp exciting.

_Will we help them? It would be wrong to let them all die right? But, the warrior code says we should defend our clan above all else… And, if fighting SkyClan with ThunderClan will put us in danger, then maybe we shouldn't do it…?_

Then an image of Paledusk began to take shape in her mind again; his sleek-furred white pelt forming slowly as if he was emerging from dense swirling fog. Frostpaw could almost sense his cold green gaze on her. His voice snarling _'any tragedies that befall ShadowClan will be all your fault'_ echoed in her ears, and she shuddered.

_I'm not sure what ShadowClan should do. But, I would fear any Clan that has Paledusk as their deputy. Is Fennelstar like that too? Is all of SkyClan?_

Autumnpaw shrugged, bringing Frostpaw back to the present.

"I don't know. That's up to Sedgestar to decide, right?" he said, but his eyes flashed as he took the worry in Frostpaw's expression.

"Hey! Don't worry; it'll be okay," he said, giving her shoulder a gentle nudge with his muzzle. "Sedgestar will know what's best."

Frostpaw just nodded mutely.

"I don't know if we should help them," Pinepaw said, her eyes wide and serious. "If SkyClan is so much of a threat, and ThunderClan might be threatening at our border soon, we should be preparing ourselves to defend our territory from both them and SkyClan."

Frostpaw's tail twitched, and her brow furrowed, uncertain if ShadowClan could really stand against them both. But, before she could say anything in response, the voices around her got louder and louder as her ears were bombarded by fragments of conversation.

"Why should we go to battle for them?" Marshnose yowled out.

"I don't care if ThunderClan starves," Dampfang snorted.

"But, what kind of cats would we be if we just stood aside and let them all die?" Emberflower challenged, her green eyes flashing.

"We must put the good of ShadowClan before everyone else," Swoopstrike growled, rising to his paws and lashing his tail.

 _"Quiet!"_ Sedgestar called, his voice cutting through all the others.

The light brown tabby still stood in the center of camp, his long tail held high. Everyone turned to look at him.

"What do you think we should do, Sedgestar?" Weaseltail called out, looking expectingly at their leader.

Frostpaw padded closer towards the center of the camp to hear better. She noticed other cats doing the same, and soon all of ShadowClan was grouped tightly around Sedgestar and Grovepelt. Frostpaw ended up nestled next to Redclaw and Leafbreeze as they waited for him to respond.

"I… am not sure, to be honest," Sedgestar admitted, his tail lowering to swish uncertainly behind him. "While I agree with Morningstar that SkyClan is a threat, I'm not sure we should put our lives at risk to help ThunderClan."

Voices again rose up all around Frostpaw, clamoring for their opinion to be heard over the others.

 _"Shh!"_ Grovepelt hissed, his tail twitching in irritation. "I know you all have a lot of thoughts, but one at a time!"

Grovepelt turned to look at Sedgestar, and the old tom's eyes gleamed with an idea.

"Perhaps a council is in order?" Grovepelt asked.

The cats around Frostpaw began to murmur. Frostpaw's brow furrowed in confusion.

"What's a council?" she whispered into Redclaw's ear.

"It's kind of like a clan meeting, but every cat older than a kit gets to say their turn," Redclaw murmured back. "It's a very old tradition. The stories go it extends all the way back to the creation of ShadowClan and our clan's first leader."

Frostpaw's eyes went wide with interest.

_All the way back to the very beginning?_

"ShadowClan cats have always had an independent streak, I guess," Redclaw said with a somewhat amused shrug. "And, have always wanted their thoughts to be heard."

"Good idea," Sedgestar said with a nod to Grovepelt. "We will hold a council."

Sedgestar turned and pushed his way out of the crowd of cats, bounding up Clanrock. There was no need for him to call the clan because everyone, besides Darkpelt and Rowanheart, were already out in camp.

"I will speak first," Sedgestar said, sitting on Clanrock and wrapping his tail around his paws. "Then the medicine cats and Grovepelt. Then the elders. Then the senior warriors, and then the rest of the warriors. And, finally the apprentices."

Sedgestar looked around at the crowd.

"Anyone older than six moons who wants to speak on this topic may, but you don't have to," he continued. "And, when someone else is talking, there will be _no_ interrupting them. Rest assured, everyone will have a turn to voice their opinion. Now, everyone, gather close so you can be heard."

The clan settled down in a semi-circle around Clanrock. Frostpaw sat close to Redclaw. She glanced over at her face, wondering what the queen thought about ThunderClan. Redclaw's expression was uncertain, but she gazed at Sedgestar steadily like she was drawing confidence from him. Sedgestar cleared his throat before beginning.

"I feel undecided about if we should help ThunderClan in their fight against SkyClan," Sedgestar said. "While I pity their plight and think that SkyClan could be a threat to ShadowClan in the future, they are not a threat now, and I value the safety of our clan more than the safety of ThunderClan."

Sedgestar dipped his head towards Clearstream, who was sitting at the base of Clanrock, near the fern-framed entrance of her den.

"Clearstream, you may go if you wish," Sedgestar said.

The fluffy grey tabby rose to her paws.

"I think we should travel to the Moonstone and consult with StarClan before making any definite decision," Clearstream meowed, her blue eyes troubled. "I do think Acornear is right that StarClan would never want a clan to be driven from the forest, but our ancestors may be able to show us better way to solve this problem that doesn't involve ShadowClan going to battle."

Sedgestar nodded approvingly.

"That is wise. If there is a solution that doesn't cause ShadowClan blood to spill, we should try to find it," he meowed.

His gaze flickered to Elmclaw. The large, dark tabby rose to his paws as his mentor took a seat.

"We are strong and healthy now in green-leaf and our herb stocks are overflowing," Elmclaw said, his voice a low rumble. "If SkyClan may be a threat in the future, say, after they drive ThunderClan out, we would be much more ill-equipped to battle them without allies, in leaf-fall or leaf-bare, weakened by sickness or hunger, than we would be now."

 _"Elmclaw!_ We're healers not fighters," Clearstream hissed, her voice slightly scolding.

Elmclaw's ears flattened.

"I'm not saying ShadowClan _should_ go to battle," he rumbled. "Just pointing out the fact that if we did, it would be easiest on the clan to do it now. Not later."

Elmclaw took a seat, and Clearstream gazed at him with a furrowed brow.

"Thank you, Elmclaw," Sedgestar said. "That is a good point."

Grovepelt rose to his feet without prompting.

"I say we should fight," the deputy said without hesitation.

Frostpaw's eyes widened in surprise. While she knew Grovepelt had valiantly fought in numerous battles throughout his life, he had still always seemed more of a pacifist than an aggressor to her.

"SkyClan needs to be taught a lesson. They seem to have no respect for our ancestors or our traditions," Grovepelt continued. "There have always been five clans in the forest, and there always will be. And, if we don't act now, there's no telling what SkyClan may do to us next."

Grovepelt took a seat, and Sedgestar nodded.

"Thank you, Grovepelt. The elders may go now," Sedgestar said.

Greytail and Flymask were staunchly against battle, seeing no need to interfere with ThunderClan's problems, while Treefur was undecided. Sedgestar then moved on to the senior warriors, who's opinions were mixed. Emberflower, Dustleap, Weaseltail, and Larkfoot thought ShadowClan should fight. Dawntail, Marshnose, and Fogfur thought ShadowClan shouldn't. Redclaw, after a long pause of hesitation, also put her support with the anti-battle group, shooting an apologetic look at her mate Weaseltail as she did so. Kestrelmoon and Amberberry refrained from commenting. Sedgestar then moved on to the younger warriors. Swoopstrike was the first to rise to his paws, beating out Dampfang, who had risen to a half crouch and shot Swoopstrike a scorching look for stiffing him.

"ShadowClan has always protected their own above all else," Swoopstrike said, his voice ringing confidently throughout the camp. "Not only is this what the warrior code commands us to do; our devotion to this creed is what makes us strong; stronger than all the other Clans. We are truly independent and always have been. We shouldn't help ThunderClan."

Frostpaw shifted on her paws. She felt like Swoopstrike made a decent point.

Dampfang was now on his feet. Frostpaw rolled her eyes. He seemed determined to speak next even though there were plenty of other warriors older than him who had not yet had a turn.

"ShadowClan shouldn't fight," Dampfang said definitively. "If SkyClan is going to drive out ThunderClan; let them do it. We will be able to stand against SkyClan alone if we need to fight them later. Plus, once ThunderClan is gone, and SkyClan has weakened themselves by fighting them off, we can move in on the old ThunderClan territory, and secure more hunting grounds for ourselves. There's no need for SkyClan to take it all."

Dampfang's propositions got a few murmurs of approval from Marshnose, Flymask and Hootflight. Frostpaw's brow furrowed, her ears twitching back.

_Dampfang just sees this as an opportunity to exploit another Clan's weakness. He doesn't understand how risky it would be for ShadowClan if SkyClan was strong enough to drive ThunderClan away._

Frostpaw's gaze flickered up to Sedgestar, but he didn't respond to Dampfang's proposal, his expression unreadable.

Snakeeyes went next. She had been sitting in front of the nursery to make sure her kits stayed inside, but now she rose to her paws and strode over to the semi-circle of cats.

"ShadowClan should fight SkyClan now, when we have the chance to do battle outside of our territory, rather than waiting and risking an invasion," Snakeeyes said, her blue-green gaze startlingly intense as she swept it over the crowd and brought it up to Sedgestar. "I will not put the lives of my kits at risk by waiting until SkyClan attacks our camp in a couple of moons. We need to strike now, preemptively."

Sedgestar bowed his head to Snakeeyes.

"Good point," he meowed. "Thank you."

Snakeeyes headed back towards the nursery. Dappledtail, Dewleaf, and Beeclaw ended up supporting Snakeeyes' decision to fight, while Hootflight and Thornheart wanted not to. Leafbreeze didn't comment. And, finally Sedgestar turned his attention onto the apprentices.

"Would any apprentices like to speak?" he asked, his tone slightly warmer as he looked down at the young cats.

Frostpaw gazed around at her wide-eyed den-mates. It felt foreign for them to even be invited to share their opinions. Apprentices were normally expected to watch and learn from the older cats, not to speak up about their thoughts. It seemed that the other apprentices felt the same way, since they all just shifted their weight on their paws, gazing at each other like they were trying to figure out what everyone else would do.

Frostpaw blinked in surprise to find herself rising to her feet, and seemingly without realizing it, she was now standing and everyone was staring at her. Frostpaw froze under the paralyzing cold of their many gazes, her blue eyes wide as moons.

"Yes, Frostpaw?" Sedgestar asked, yanking her attention away from the numerous eyes of the clan and freeing her from their paralysis.

Sedgestar blinked kindly down at her. Frostpaw swallowed hard and forced herself to speak.

"I—I think we should fight," Frostpaw said, her voice barely above a squeak in volume and wavering.

Her mouth was suddenly dry. Frostpaw paused for a moment to lick her lips, trying to make her voice work again. As she hesitated, an image of Paledusk's cold green eyes formed in her mind.

"SkyClan is a threat to us," she said, her voice becoming a bit louder and more certain. "Look at their pattern of behavior against ThunderClan. They won't stop once ThunderClan is gone. But—but—"

Frostpaw swallowed as her tongue tripped over itself, but she closed her eyes for a moment and forced the rest of the words out.

"But, I'm sure we can beat them easily with ThunderClan's help," she said. "Without ThunderClan's help though… it seems much harder."

 _"Of course the rogue thinks we should fight!"_ Dampfang hissed in a hushed voice across camp as soon as the last words left her mouth. _"She doesn't care if ShadowClan lives are lost! She doesn't have a whisker of loyalty to us."_

Frostpaw's ears flattened, and her pelt burnt hot with anger and shame.

_I can't believe that Dampfang just said that about me in front of the whole clan!_

"Silence!" Sedgestar snapped, his amber gaze glowering down at Dampfang. "I thought my instructions were clear, Dampfang! Every _ShadowClan_ _cat_ over the age of six moons is allowed to speak without interruption!"

"But, she was done talking!" Dampfang protested, his green eyes glaring back at Sedgestar.

Frostpaw dug her claws into the ground, staring down at her feet.

"That's not for you to decide," Sedgestar rumbled, his eyes narrowing. "Now put a mouse in it, or if you can't follow simple instructions, you'll have to go to sit in the nursery with the kits."

Frostpaw's gaze flickered up to see Dampfang's muzzle wrinkled in fury, but he clenched his jaw shut.

_At least Sedgestar defended me._

As the leader turned his attention back to Frostpaw, she quickly sat, gazing back down at her feet.

"Any other apprentices?" Sedgestar meowed, his gaze flickering around them.

There was a long pause as no one moved, like the awkwardness in the air after Dampfang's outburst and argument with Sedgestar was too heavy to fight against. But, finally Autumnpaw rose to his paws. Frostpaw breathed a sigh of relief that Dampfang's insult against her wouldn't be the closing note of the council, and the thing that stuck in all of her clan-mates minds.

"I'm with Frostpaw. It makes more sense for us to fight now," Autumnpaw said concisely, his chin raised with confidence.

Pinepaw was rising to her paws as Autumnpaw was sitting. Frostpaw had to flatten a reflexive bristling of her fur. She already knew that Pinepaw disagreed with her, but she just hoped that she wouldn't pile on with Dampfang's insults against her.

Once Pinepaw was on her feet, stretched up to her full height, she hesitated for a heart-beat before beginning.

"Before you called this council, I didn't think we should fight," Pinepaw said, her voice clear and steady. "But, after hearing everyone speak about it, I've changed my mind. Frostpaw makes a good point. Fennelstar does have a pattern of exploiting ThunderClan whenever he can. SkyClan doesn't have a grudge against them or anything like that; they just see them as a good target, which is enough of a motivation for them to attack. And, of course, ShadowClan isn't weak, but if ThunderClan is gone, I think we will become that next target, and it will force us into war whether we like it or not. And, as my mentor told us once during training: Aggression is like fire; it consumes in all directions. SkyClan is a threat not just to ThunderClan, but to us as well."

Frostpaw's eyes were wide with shock as Pinepaw sat, her speech done. The spiky black-furred she-cat had somehow managed to say everything she had wanted to say, but in a way much better than she had. Frostpaw shook her head incredulously.

Frostpaw's gaze flickered over to look at Grovepelt, and she saw the deputy's chin raised in pride, his green gaze shimmering as he looked at his apprentice.

"Well said Pinepaw," Grovepelt meowed, while Sedgestar nodded.

Mosspaw rose to her paws next, but the normally bubbly apprentice looked uncertain as the clan's attention shifted to her.

"Is SkyClan really all that bad? At the gathering I've spoken to some of them, and they seemed okay…" Mosspaw's voice trailed off, and she shrugged before sitting, her brow furrowed.

No other apprentices stood to take her place.

"Thank you Mosspaw. Alright, then," Sedgestar said. "This concludes this council. Thank you all. You have given me much to consider. But, I will still journey to the Moonstone and speak with our ancestors before making announcing my final decision."

Clearstream rose to her paws.

"The half-moon is in three days. You can join me and Elmclaw going there, if you like," she said.

Sedgestar bowed his head gratefully to Clearstream.

"I would appreciate that, thank you," he meowed.

Sedgestar bounded down from Clanrock, and cats began to disperse. Frostpaw padded over in Autumnpaw's direction, who saw her coming, and then flicked his tail towards Pinepaw to indicate he was heading towards her. As Frostpaw walked up to the siblings, Autumnpaw turned to Pinepaw.

"I thought you thought we shouldn't fight?" he said, his voice teasing.

Pinepaw shrugged, the fur on her shoulders bristling out a bit defensively.

"I changed my mind. Is that a crime?" she snapped, glaring at him.

Autumnpaw took a pace back from her, adverting his gaze as if to pacify her.

"Relax, Pinepaw. I was just teasing. I'm glad you're on our side. And, that you came to your senses for once," he said, his amber eyes glinting, seemingly unable to resist a final jab.

Pinepaw glared at him again, but Frostpaw stepped in before the bickering could turn into a real fight.

"You spoke very well," Frostpaw meowed, before glancing down at her paws as a wave of hot embarrassment came over her as she relived her stuttering speech and Dampfang's jeers. "Grovepelt looked like he was very proud of you."

"Really?" Pinepaw said, sitting up a bit straighter, and twisting her head around to search for Grovepelt in the crowd.

It wasn't Grovepelt she spotted though, instead the large, fluffy black-and-white form of Poolpaw was bounding over to them.

"Great, look what you frog-brains have done now; we're going to be trapped in a war between two clans!" Poolpaw said, his tail flicking behind him.

"We don't know that yet," Frostpaw cautioned. "Sedgestar still has to make up his mind."

"Besides, don't blame us!" Autumnpaw protested, frowning at Poolpaw. "We're only apprentices! Our opinions to Sedgestar probably weigh as much as a piece of prey begging for its life."

"Yeah, if you want to be mad at anyone, blame the warriors. Or, Grovepelt," Pinepaw said, tossing her head with a huff.

Poolpaw playfully shoved Pinepaw.

"But, I can't call Grovepelt a frog-brain!" Poolpaw said with a purr.

She shoved him back. Harder.

"Keep your paws off me you great oaf!" she sniffed. "And, you can't call us frog-brains either!"

"Make me!" Poolpaw said, grappling Pinepaw with his big paws.

Autumnpaw purred loudly as Pinepaw squeaked in protest, writhing to try to get away from her brother while Poolpaw wrapped his forepaws tightly around her, trapping Pinepaw as his long, thick pelt enveloped her. Autumnpaw leaned in close to Frostpaw.

"It looks like his fur is eating her!" he said, managing to get the words out between the vibrating purrs that shook his shoulders.

Frostpaw purred back, and she felt her worries about the potential war melt away, at least for the moment. Still stuck in her brother's vice-like embrace, Frostpaw saw Pinepaw's desperate amber eyes seek out Frostpaw's from the thick tuffs of black-and-white fur pressed against her face.

"Don't just stand their like a sleepy dormouse! Help me!" Pinepaw called.

"Nuh-huh! This is between me and Pinepaw!" Poolpaw declared. "Asking for help is cheating!"

Ignoring him, Frostpaw sprung at Poolpaw with a playful growl, wrapping her paws around his neck to try to drag him away from Pinepaw. Poolpaw shook his shoulders, trying to dislodge her.

"Cheaters! You pair of snake-hearts!" Poolpaw wailed dramatically.

Frostpaw purred as Poolpaw buckled under her, and while he was distracted by Frostpaw clinging to him, Pinepaw managed to wiggle out of his grip.

"You should listen more during training, Poolpaw!" Pinepaw said, now a safe distance away from her brother's reach. "It's not cheating! ShadowClan's greatest strength comes from the element of surprise!"

Dampfang padded past the apprentices, letting out a huff of derision at their play-fighting. Frostpaw felt a tightness suddenly filled her belly like a rock had been dropped into her stomach. The insult and embarrassment she felt during the council rushed back over her. Frostpaw let go of Poolpaw, scrambling away from him and swiping her tongue across her chest fur self-consciously. Poolpaw whirled back towards her with a playful growl, but stopped when he saw her expression. Autumnpaw padded over to Frostpaw, head-butting her shoulder.

"Ignore that frog-brain," Autumnpaw said with a soft growl. "You heard what Sedgestar said. Everyone knows you're a ShadowClan cat through and through. No one takes Dampfang seriously."

"Really? You think so?" Frostpaw murmured, glancing up at him.

Autumnpaw nodded, and Poolpaw nodded along with him.

"Yeah. Dampfang has bees in his brain," Pinepaw added, a growl in her voice, and Frostpaw's gaze flew to hers in surprise.

Pinepaw was watching Frostpaw steadily. Frostpaw purred quietly in response, feeling a flicker of warmth inside her.

"But, speaking of ShadowClan through and through…" Autumnpaw said, a playful glint reapplying in his eyes.

Autumnpaw sprung at Pinepaw without warning, bowling her over and pinning her to the ground.

"You smelly frog-face! What was that for?!" Pinepaw spat from the ground.

"Weren't you just saying? Never underestimate the element of surprise!" Autumnpaw declared, dramatically puffing his chest out.

"You're a frog-brain," Pinepaw growled, but there wasn't any venom in her voice as she batted at Autumnpaw's face with her paws.

Autumnpaw ducked her blows.

"You maniac! Are you trying to blind me?" he wailed.

"Oh _shut up!_ You're such a kit! My claws aren't even out!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lots of talk this chapter about how there's always supposed to be five clans in the forest and how StarClan would never want a Clan to leave lol. Ah the dramatic irony...


	17. Rotten Pines

In the days following ThunderClan's visit, Frostpaw tried to keep her mind focused on her training, but she found herself distracted. Swoopstrike kept snarling at her for her clumsy pounces, and near-misses while hunting, but try as she might, Frostpaw couldn't get thoughts of ThunderClan and SkyClan out of her head. She felt like she was tangled up so much from the indecision and worry in her mind that she couldn't concentrate on anything else. Luckily though, the night of the half-moon had finally come and gone. Now they just had to wait for Sedgestar, Clearstream, and Elmclaw to return to camp and announce what StarClan had told them. Then Sedgestar would tell everyone his decision about ThunderClan, and Frostpaw could stop worrying about it.

Frostpaw shook her head like she was trying to shake the buzzing thoughts from her mind. It was already sun-high, so Sedgestar and the medicine cats should arrive back in camp at any moment. The clan was well aware of this, so everyone was out in the clearing, waiting for their leader's arrival and enjoying the pleasant day.

Frostpaw and Autumnpaw were lying out in a pool of sunshine near the apprentice's den. Autumnpaw's amber eyes kept lazily drifting shut, but Frostpaw would snap him back awake with a flick of her tail on his side, reluctant to be left alone with her anxious thoughts.

"What do you think Sedgestar's going to say?" Frostpaw asked.

"I've already told you a hundred times— I don't know," Autumnpaw sighed, some exasperation in his voice. "Why does helping or not helping ThunderClan bother you so much anyway?"

Frostpaw shuffled her paws uncomfortably.

_It's not ThunderClan that bothers me. It's SkyClan._

But, she didn't respond to him.

Autumnpaw studied her quietly before sitting up.

"Well, since it seems like I won't be getting a nap in, we can at least talk about it," he said.

"No… it's fine. I'm sorry, I can let you sleep," Frostpaw muttered, looking away from him and staring down at her paws instead.

Autumnpaw scooted over to her, so close their sides brushed, but Frostpaw still didn't glance over at him. Ever so slowly, Autumnpaw's face edged into the corners of Frostpaw's vision, moving closer and closer to the center of her gaze, until Autumnpaw was practically resting his chin on her paws, gazing up at her with exaggeratedly wide, imploring eyes. Unable to keep a straight face any longer, a purr burst from Frostpaw's throat, and she playfully shoved Autumnpaw away.

"Alright, alright. Stop looking at me like that," she said.

Autumnpaw purred back, his amber eyes shining playfully.

"Only if you tell me what's wrong," he said, mockingly threatening.

Frostpaw shuffled her paws again, her laughter fading to be replaced by anxiety again.

"But, I don't know what's wrong. I'm just worried," Frostpaw admitted.

Autumnpaw tilted his head at her.

"Are you worried about the fighting? We've been in battles and border scraps before," Autumnpaw said softly. "It'll be fine."

"It's not that," Frostpaw said, sighing as she rested her chin down on her paws. "I'm not worried about fighting… it's this whole thing that feels bad… Like there's something more that's going on with SkyClan and ThunderClan than what we know about… And, SkyClan… scares me."

Autumnpaw gently rested his tail on her back.

"Is it because Paledusk was mean to you last Gathering?" he said, his mew quiet.

Frostpaw flinched slightly, her ears growing hot in embarrassment.

_He must think I'm such a dumb kit, being scared of Paledusk!_

"Partly," Frostpaw mumbled into her paws. "You didn't see what he was like. He was… I don't know, just so… Ugh, anyway, forget it. I'm just being dumb."

"I don't think you're dumb. I think you're one of the smartest cat I know," Autumnpaw said earnestly.

Frostpaw glanced over at him out of the corner of her eye. He was gazing very seriously at her for a moment before the look melted away like morning fog burnt off by the midday sun, being replaced with a more standard-Autumnpaw, amiable expression.

"Thanks," Frostpaw said, looking away from him.

"I'm also worried about if allying with ThunderClan will cause a war with us and SkyClan. They seem pretty relentless if they've managed to make things so bad with ThunderClan. And, what if SkyClan has RiverClan help like Morningstar fears?" Frostpaw continued.

"But, we will have ThunderClan on our side then too," Autumnpaw pointed out. "It'll still be two against two. Unless SkyClan and RiverClan want to go traipsing through twoleg-place, or take a convoluted route through WindClan, they will have to travel through ThunderClan territory to attack us. And, I don't think ThunderClan will like that."

"Unless they go through Four-trees," Frostpaw said, her tail-twitching worriedly.

"Alright, fine, you have a point," Autumnpaw conceded. "But, what's the use in worrying about that now? We don't even know yet if Sedgestar has decided to help ThunderClan."

Frostpaw groaned.

"Not helping ThunderClan is worse! I have even more worries about that," Frostpaw lamented.

Autumnpaw swiped his tongue over her ears reassuringly.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to stress you out more!" Autumnpaw meowed.

"It's not your fault," Frostpaw said, making herself lift her chin up off her paws and sit up a bit. "I think I'll feel at least a bit better once Sedgestar makes an announcement about it. It's this waiting part that's killing me and making my worries go wild with 'what if's.'"

"That makes sense," Autumnpaw meowed.

Frostpaw saw his gaze was getting sleepy again; his eyelids drifting down to be half-lidded as he was lulled towards slumber from the gentle warmth of the sun above them. Frostpaw's pelt was comfortably toasty from the light too, but she still didn't feel quite comfortable enough to sleep.

"Everything will work out though," Autumnpaw mumbled sleepily. "I'm sure ShadowClan has made it through much worse than this."

Autumnpaw's chin rested on her back.

"I'm just gonna rest my eyes… for a bit… wake me up if you need anything…"

In only a few heartbeats, Autumnpaw was snoring lightly.

Frostpaw sighed softly. She wished she could join him in sleep, if only to forget her worries for a while, but her anxious thoughts nettled her like a burr. She kept shooting glances at the thorn barrier, waiting for Sedgestar to come through it, and her stomach rumbled in hunger every few moments too. She had a miserable hunt this morning with Swoopstrike, having been too distracted to catch anything. So, she hadn't been allowed to take anything from the fresh-kill pile. She was going on another hunt after sun-high, and hopefully that one would go better than earlier…

Frostpaw sighed, resting her chin on her paws. She pulled her gaze off the barrier to glance at Autumnpaw's dark red-furred side, relaxing herself by watching his flank rise and fall at a comfortingly regular rhythm.

She may have dozed off for a moment, because the next thing Frostpaw knew, she heard the barrier rustling. Frostpaw's ears pricked, and she lifted her head, watching as Sedgestar, Clearstream and Elmclaw came streaming in. Their faces were solemn, and Frostpaw felt her stomach flip in worry as she studied their expressions. She prodded Autumnpaw awake.

"They're back," she whispered, as he lifted his head, blinking blearily.

Autumnpaw rubbed his face with a paw, yawning as he watched the group trek across the clearing. Sedgestar headed straight for Clanrock, scaling it in two bounds, while the medicine cats sat at its base. Sedgestar settled down on the boulder, sitting and wrapping his tail around his paws.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather for a clan meeting," Sedgestar said, his voice clear but not as loud as his call normally was.

Frostpaw's brow was furrowed in concern as she sat and turned to face the Clanrock. A few cats emerged from the dens, and everyone grouped in the clearing.

"What news did StarClan share?" Larkfoot asked, her voice eager as their clan-mates finished settling down and everyone gazed up at Sedgestar.

Sedgestar's ear twitched.

"The message I received from our ancestors wasn't clear…" he began slowly, his gaze filtering over the crowd.

His face was creased, and he shifted his weight like the announcement was making him uneasy. Frostpaw's stomach clenched. Sedgestar was normally so smooth and composed, but right now he seemed almost… off balance.

_Did something horrible happen?_

"Clearstream, Elmclaw and I all received the same dream from StarClan," Sedgestar continued before hesitating and glancing a Clearstream. "Would you like to tell them what happened?"

Clearstream daintily rose to her paws, her long grey-tabby fur looking as smooth and serene as ever, but her face was troubled.

"We spoke with Shadowstar, the first leader of ShadowClan," she said.

There were gasps and murmurs from the clan. Frostpaw's pelt prickled in awe and surprise, and her eyes stretched wide.

_Did they really see the very first leader of ShadowClan? But, she must have lived so long ago?_

Frostpaw felt a flicker of doubt. She knew that the medicine cats went to the Moonstone every half-moon, and that they received prophecies and omens from StarClan, and that the leaders supposedly had nine lives gifted to them from their ancestors… But, could it all be true? Frostpaw had never seen the ancestors herself. She'd never seen Sedgestar die, then come back to life. But, everyone else, from every clan in the whole forest, was full of so much conviction about it. Sedgestar was even using StarClan's opinion to weigh going to war. The medicine cats and leaders couldn't be making it all up. And, what about the storm that broke up the last gathering? Surely it was divine intervention and not just a coincidental change in weather… right?

Frostpaw was pulled back out of her thoughts as Clearstream continued.

"Shadowstar reminded me of the dream that I had during last leaf-bare about the owl and our clan-mates around me in the snow. She told us that as long as ShadowClan's clan-bond is strong, and we rely on each other, we can withstand anything. Like a sturdy pine standing tall and steady in the grip of a hurricane," Clearstream said.

"Well that sounds pretty clear to me!" Marshnose voice rose out of the crowd. "We need to stand alone! StarClan doesn't want us meddling in other cat's affairs!"

There were some murmurs of agreement with Marshnose.

"…But, that wasn't the whole dream," Clearstream muttered, her tail swishing slowly.

"Go on," Sedgestar said with a nod, his face grim. "Tell them."

Clearstream took a deep breath.

"After she said that, Shadowstar warned that although we have that strength, we must also be wary of hidden diseases. There are pines that may look strong and solid from the outside, but be rotting within and liable to collapse at any moment. Even from the faintest breeze," Clearstream said in a low voice.

Frostpaw's fur down her spine stood on end at the graveness of Clearstream's words, and concerned whispers rose from the crowd. She found her gaze flickering to Autumnpaw's, and was grateful when his familiar amber eyes met hers, even if he also looked frightened. Frostpaw's gaze flickered away from him to search Swoopstrike out in the crowd. Her mentor's jaw was set, and he was gazing up at Sedgestar with a fierce intensity, like he was ready to go to battle with whatever threatened ShadowClan at this very moment.

"What does it mean?"

It was Greytail's rasping voice that finally rose up. She was seated next to the other elders outside of their den. Clearstream shook her head.

"I don't know," she meowed.

Greytail's frail face furrowed in deep concern.

"Yet," Clearstream added quickly. "Clearly StarClan is giving us some kind of advice, or warning, but of what, I can't say yet."

Elmclaw rose to his feet.

"Can I give my interpretation?" he asked, and Clearstream nodded at him to continue.

Elmclaw turned to face the clan, the massive tabby dwarfing his mentor at his side.

"I think Shadowstar is warning us against appearances. SkyClan maybe doesn't seem like much of a threat to us right now, yes. But, I think they may be the 'hidden disease' that Shadowstar is referring," Elmclaw meowed in his deep voice.

"It's possible…" Clearstream muttered, her blue eyes troubled.

"Or, could it be an actual disease that is coming?" Dawntail said, her eyes wide with concern.

"Or, what about a traitor!" Dampfang yowled, shooting a brief, burning glance at Frostpaw.

Frostpaw dug her claws into the ground, hot anger starting to burn in her chest. Noise exploded in the camp as everyone tried to shout what they thought the warning might mean at the same time. Sedgestar waved his tail for silence.

"Enough. Enough!" he yowled until quiet settled over the camp again.

Sedgestar swept his gaze over the clan.

"None of us know what Shadowstar's words mean right now. But, regardless, we can't just idly sit in our nests, tail-wringing until StarClan sends us another sign. We must take action," Sedgestar said. "So, I have made up my mind. ShadowClan will help ThunderClan."

There were a few yowls of protest, but Sedgestar silenced them with a glare from his sharp amber eyes.

"Believe me, I do not make this choice lightly. I took all of the thoughts each of you brought up into account before doing so. And, I intend to only help them on a condition. I will not help ThunderClan if they will not agree to help us in return. It is only fair," Sedgestar said. "But, my decision on this is final."

There were still a few murmurs of dissent, but they were quiet this time and faded rapidly as the clan swiftly fell in line behind their leader.

"I will tell Morningstar of my decision shortly, and if he agrees to my terms, then I will have more information for you all about what to expect," Sedgestar continued. "This concludes this meeting."

Sedgestar bounded down Clanrock, and immediately padded up to Grovepelt. The leader meowed something to him, and Grovepelt nodded, the two of them disappearing into Sedgestar's den at the roots of the Oak Tree to talk in private. Frostpaw turned to Autumnpaw.

"What do you think?" she meowed.

Autumnpaw shrugged, his gaze uncertain.

"It's what we argued for in the council, right? And, Sedgestar thinks it's the right thing to do. ThunderClan better be grateful though," Autumnpaw said, forcing a purr to break the heaviness that still hung in air after Sedgestar's announcement.

"But, what Shadowstar said…" Frostpaw murmured.

"So, we'll proceed with caution," Autumnpaw meowed, his voice firm.

He nudged Frostpaw with his muzzle, like he was trying to knock the worry out of her.

"Everything will be fine!" he insisted. "Shadowstar may be trying to tell us that we _should_ go to battle. And, if not… well, we're ShadowClan. We can beat anything."

"Right," Frostpaw said, forcing her voice to be optimistic, if not for her own sake, for Autumnpaw's, since he was trying so hard to cheer her up.

Frostpaw's ears pricked as Swoopstrike came padding up to her.

"Forget about hunting," he rumbled. "Grab something _small_ to eat, then meet me by the Burnt Sycamore for battle training."

"Yes, Swoopstrike," Frostpaw said, dipping her head.

Swoopstrike swept a critical gaze over her.

"I hope your battle training won't be as clumsy as your hunting this morning," he growled. "Or, else SkyClan will eat you alive."

Frostpaw felt the fur down her back bristle defensively.

"I would never let them," she said, a hint of a growl in her voice.

Swoopstrike's eyes flickered as he noticed her bristling fur, and a hint of amusement seemed to flash in his green gaze.

"Good," he grunted. "I would never live down such an embarrassment of an apprentice."

Feeling a plucky flash of courage, Frostpaw rose to her paws and fired back.

"No, I wouldn't be an embarrassment. Instead, I think cats would think you were a _horrible_ mentor for sending me defenseless to the slaughter," she said.

Swoopstrike rumbled a brief purr.

"Well, then it's decided. You'll have to survive this for both of our sakes," Swoopstrike said with a flick of the tail as he turned and padded towards the thorn barrier.

He hesitated there to cast a final glance over his shoulder at Frostpaw, narrowing his eyes.

"But, don't keep me waiting at the Burnt Sycamore, or I'll kill and eat you myself," he growled.

"I'd give you indigestion in revenge," Frostpaw muttered at his back as he padded away.

She turned to glance at Autumnpaw, who had been watching this whole exchange with a baffled expression.

"I don't understand you two's relationship," he sighed.

* * *

Sedgestar waited at the edge of the thunderpath, the pine branches sighing softly above him as they swayed in the evening breeze. The sky was a deep purple of twilight, and the thunderpath in front of him stretched out long into the darkness. It was quiet at this time of day.

Sedgestar was alone and at the edge of his territory. It was maybe a foolish idea to come without an escort; Grovepelt at least thought so. But, Sedgestar trusted Morningstar not to ambush him, especially not after coming to his camp and begging him for help. He didn't think the ThunderClan leader was capable of such deception.

The dense undergrowth on the other side of the border rustled, and a lone, grey-furred cat strode forward. Morningstar straightened his large form, and for a moment the two leaders only stared at each other, nothing but the smooth, black surface of the thunderpath between them.

Sedgestar couldn't help but imagining himself in Morningstar's position. A starving Clan depending on him, enemies gnawing at the edges of his territory, unable to drive them back. Morningstar still cut elegant silhouette despite the sharpness of his skeleton beneath his pelt, and the stress that must be weighing down on his shoulders. Sedgestar didn't envy the position. He even felt pity for him, but he knew much better than to let it show on his face. It was always better for his rivals not to decipher his emotions, even when they were pitiable rivals. Doing so would only give them leverage over him.

Morningstar waved his tail, signaling for Sedgestar to join him on the ThunderClan side of the thunderpath. Sedgestar crept towards the edge of the thunderpath, shooting a quick glance from side to side just in case any monsters had snuck up on him without him noticing, but seeing the coast was still clear, he bounded forward.

Sedgestar strode up to Morningstar, nodding hello.

"Greetings Sedgestar," Morningstar said, bowing his head to the ShadowClan leader. "Have you come to a decision?"

"I have," Sedgestar said, sitting next to the ThunderClan leader. "But, there is something I must ask you first."

Morningstar blinked, his gaze hesitant.

"Go on," the grey tom said in a low voice.

"I feel for ThunderClan's plight," Sedgestar meowed, his expression smooth. "But, the question still remains: what is there in return for ShadowClan if we help you?"

A hint of anger seemed to creep across Morningstar's expression.

"We have a shared enemy. Isn't that reason enough to aid us?" Morningstar said, his ears flattening.

Sedgestar inclined his head towards the ThunderClan leader, his gaze even.

"Please, Morningstar, don't play dumb with me. You were not built for deceit. We both know that ThunderClan is in much more immediate peril than ShadowClan is," Sedgestar said cooly.

Morningstar's eyes glinted with anger, the fur down his back bristling slightly.

"I don't discount the fact that SkyClan may very well be a threat in the future to us," Sedgestar said, his tail swishing behind him. "But, that will not be until long after ThunderClan is gone. And, by that time, the allegiances of the forest may have shifted. There may be new allies for us then."

Morningstar narrowed his eyes, his jaw clenched.

"…Or, maybe not," Sedgestar mused, continuing. "And, then won't we feel stupid for turning you aside."

"If you came here only to mock me, Sedgestar, you can leave my territory," Morningstar said, a barely repressed hiss in his voice.

Sedgestar averted his gaze momentarily from Morningstar's in a sort of apology.

"I do not mean to insult you," Sedgestar continued in a quieter voice. "I am just stating the facts. If I help you, I put the lives of my clan-mates on the line. There may be deaths. Deaths which may never have happened if I did nothing. You can't just ask me to sacrifice them blindly."

Morningstar's anger faded, but now he just looked trapped; his eyes wide and powerless like a cornered rabbit's.

"But, what can I give you? I can't give you land. I can't give you prey. We're starving. We need our land and prey, that's the whole reason I'm asking you for help!" Morningstar said.

Sedgestar nodded, unsurprised. He had expected Morningstar to protest along those lines.

"I know," he said, his expression unreadable. "So, you will have to owe ShadowClan a boon."

"…A boon?" Morningstar echoed.

"A favor," Sedgestar clarified. "Something equal in return. A battle for a battle. Although, understand, I do not wish to make a lasting alliance with ThunderClan. We will help you with your SkyClan problem, and then we will be done. Except for when it's time for you to repay your debt. Then your warriors must come to our aid, no questions asked."

Morningstar's ears twitched back. He was silent for several moments. Then, when he finally spoke, his voice was sardonic.

"…We have this old nursery tale in ThunderClan, about a ThunderClan warrior that makes a deal with a dark-hearted ShadowClan cat, owing him a blood-debt," Morningstar said. "When the ShadowClan tom finally comes to collect, it doesn't end well for the ThunderClanner."

"I can imagine," Sedgestar said, letting a hint of dry amusement creep into his voice too. "But, it's a good thing then that this is real-life, and not a legend told to scare kits and apprentices into behaving, right?"

Sedgestar's gaze searched Morningstar's.

"Do you agree to our terms?" he asked.

Morningstar sighed softly.

"Do I have a choice?" he said, looking at Sedgestar with eyes that glimmered with a bit of bitterness.

Sedgestar opened his mouth to respond, but Morningstar shook his head to silence him.

"Don't waste your breath. Alright. I agree. On one condition," Morningstar said.

"Yes?" Sedgestar asked, twitching an ear towards him.

"ShadowClan must help us keep SkyClan out of our territory for three moons, starting from now."

"Three moons!" Sedgestar protested, his brow furrowing.

"That will be long enough for ThunderClan to recover our strength before leaf-bare, and then we will be able to hold them off alone," Morningstar said firmly, continuing. "Besides, it doesn't seem fair for you just to chase them out once, then expect them to stay there. Until we get our strength back, SkyClan will only respect our border if they think we have ShadowClan with us. You are mouse-brained if you think they won't test the waters."

Sedgestar was silent for a moment while he deliberated.

"Fine," he meowed finally. "Three moons. But, I will not engage my cats in more than three battles in that time span. I can't put them in more danger than that."

"Fine," Morningstar grumbled.

"And, do I have your word as ThunderClan's leader that once those moons are over, your warriors will be there to help ShadowClan fight a battle?" Sedgestar asked. "No matter what it is _,_ who we are fighting, whenever we may need it?"

Morningstar nodded.

"You do. I promise," he said in a deep, solemn voice.

Sedgestar nodded and rose to his paws, turning to leave.

"We can discuss the rest of details later," Sedgestar said from over his shoulder, as he approached the edge of the thunderpath.

"Four days," Morningstar said. "I want to attack in four days. The night of the new moon, just before dawn."

Sedgestar paused mid-stride.

"Very well then," he said, looking back over his shoulder. "That night, I will send a battle patrol to your camp. My cats will answer directly to their patrol leader, but they will follow your directions and tactics."

"You mean you don't want to share with us any of those night-battle strategies ShadowClan is so infamous for?" Morningstar said, a glint of humor in his eyes.

Sedgestar allowed a brief purr to rumble in his chest.

"You're going to have to try harder than that, ThunderClan. We keep our secrets close to our chest from outsiders," he warned.

Sedgestar turned his back on Morningstar, crouching and preparing to cross the thunderpath.

"Sedgestar?"

Sedgestar flicked an ear to let him know that he heard him, his eyes still locked on the pines ahead.

"Thank you," Morningstar said, his voice rough with gratitude.

Sedgestar just flicked his ears again. He bounded back across the thunderpath and vanished into the trees of ShadowClan's territory.


	18. A Hunch

It was nearly two moons since Sedgestar and Morningstar made their temporary alliance, and together ShadowClan and ThunderClan launched a surprise attack on two SkyClan patrols hunting in ThunderClan territory on the night of the new moon. Although Frostpaw hadn't been on that battle patrol, she had heard from Autumnpaw that the SkyClan cats had been sent flying back to their territory with their tails between their legs. The ease at which SkyClan had been sent retreating had reassured ShadowClan some, although the rotten pine omen from Shadowstar continued to loom ominously overhead like an ever-present vulture.

At the last Gathering, ShadowClan had gotten reports from ThunderClan that besides a few border skirmishes, which they had been able to handle alone, the SkyClan border remained quiet. The Gathering was still tense between the ThunderClan and SkyClan leaders, but no truce had been broken. And, even ShadowClan's border with WindClan was quiet; there wasn't even the typical jeering from passing patrols. Maybe the aggressive Rabbitstar also had finally been tempered. At the Gathering, Rabbitstar had announced that his five kits with his mate Thrushleap, had become apprentices—Harepaw, Honeypaw, Deerpaw, Lavenderpaw, and Ryepaw. Frostpaw figured that if anything could keep Rabbitstar too busy to stir up trouble, having five kits that were young apprentices would definitely suffice. ShadowClan's nursery had also gained a few new members— Dawntail had moved to the nursery and given birth to four kits.

Most of Frostpaw's days passed with a reassuringly regular pattern. Although, she thought it seemed like her and the other apprentices were being trained hard for battle—both in mock fights, and in team and strategy building exercises. But, they were also nearing the end of their training, so it was hard to say if the tough training was from a hidden fear of war, or just a normal increase in difficulty.

Still, as it seemed like the rest of the forest put their old feuds and quarrels behind them, Frostpaw tried to too. Even though the thought of Paledusk still nettled her like a burr in her pelt that she couldn't remove, everyday that passed, Frostpaw thought of him less and less. That was, until this morning, when Morningstar had sent word that SkyClan scent had been picked up on ThunderClan land for the first time since the battle.

Morningstar had requested a ShadowClan patrol to come investigate and aid in fighting if necessary.

Frostpaw's paws pounded on the sticky, black stone of the thunderpath. Once her paws crossed back onto grass, she came to a screeching stop near the tree-line, panting hard to catch her breath; her fur still prickling in anxiety. Swoopstrike was right next to her side, and she lingered close to him until the rest of the ShadowClan patrol made it safely across. Since Sedgestar was adamant about making sure the tunnel system remained a secret to ThunderClan, he didn't want ShadowClan using the tunnels at all when it came to traveling into ThunderClan territory. So, this had been Frostpaw's first time crossing the thunderpath above ground. It was nerve-wracking; she had spent what felt like ages watching the metallic flashes of monsters roar past, until there was finally a quiet gap. Swoopstrike then had swiftly ordered her to stick close to him, and they had both run for it.

Frostpaw glanced over at Pinepaw, who had also made the dash across the thunderpath with her, and she was relieved to see that the dark she-cat's fur also stood on end.

_At least I wasn't the only one scared._

Frostpaw saw Redclaw pad over to Pinepaw, trying to flatten her daughter's still bristling fur with a lick, but Pinepaw shrugged her off, stepping away from Redclaw and drawing herself up to her full height, forcing her pelt to lie flat.

As the moments stretched on and on, the ShadowClan patrol waited, and Frostpaw felt her racing heart slowing. The ShadowClan patrol stood in silence at the edge of the trees, gazing into the unfamiliar territory in front of them.

Swoopstrike shot an irritated glance upwards at the sun-high sky.

"Stupid ThunderClan," he grumbled, seemingly half to himself. "We're doing so much for them already, and they make us meet them at sun-high of all times! So inconsiderate. And, they aren't even here yet… I'm missing my nap for these mangy mice-munchers."

Frostpaw nodded along, doing her best to keep her expression serious and to swallow back the purr threatening to rumble in her throat. She did find it pretty amusing that Swoopstrike was whining like a kitten about missing his nap, but judging by the lashing of Swoopstrike's tail, her mentor was in no mood to be laughed at.

Frostpaw's ears pricked as fresh ThunderClan scent drifted into her nose.

"Greetings."

Acornear emerged from the nearby undergrowth, giving the ShadowClan patrol a nod as he padded up to them. Behind the ThunderClan deputy, five more ThunderClan cats appeared; four warriors and an apprentice, all of them blinking at the ShadowClan patrol with friendly curiosity as the ThunderClan cats encircled the ShadowClan ones.

Frostpaw eyed them guardedly, shrinking nearer to Swoopstrike. She wasn't used to such friendly behavior from ThunderClan. It didn't feel right; they were never this friendly with ShadowClan, not even at Gatherings. But, judging from their expressions, the ThunderClanners seemed genuinely grateful for ShadowClan's help, and as Frostpaw scanned her gaze over their pelts, she realized that they looked better than when she last saw them too. Their fur was sleek, and their ribs no longer poked out from under their pelts.

_They are finally catching enough prey for themselves now that SkyClan doesn't control a big chunk of their territory._

"This is Fernclaw and Foxbite," Acornear said, introducing the tortoiseshell and ginger she-cats behind him respectively. "And, Fernclaw's apprentice, Screechpaw."

The dark brown tabby apprentice nodded hello to the ShadowClan patrol.

"Nettlepelt and Beechfur," Acornear finished, flicking his tail towards a dark grey, spiky-furred she-cat, and a brown tabby tom.

"Was the situation properly explained?" Acornear asked. "This morning we caught wind of SkyClan scent deep in our territory. We scoured the area, but we could find no trace of them. If they are still in the territory, we want you help tracking them down and —"

"We know," Swoopstrike said, interrupting him with an impatient growl. "We heard this whole spiel from Pineclaw already when Morningstar sent him to our camp. I'll be leading the ShadowClan patrol, and these cats and I—"

Swoopstrike flicked his tail to indicate the rest of the ShadowClan patrol: Emberflower, Redclaw, Dappledpelt, Leafbreeze, Pinepaw and Frostpaw.

"—are the best trackers in the forest."

Frostpaw raised her chin, feeling a flash of pride from Swoopstrike's compliment of the patrol. Although it was quickly followed by a shadow of doubt. Maybe she wasn't that great of a tracker after all, and was just allowed to tag along because she was Swoopstrike's apprentice…

"So, although ThunderClan failed to find SkyClan, I'm sure we won't," Swoopstrike concluded with a smug twitch of his whiskers, pulling Frostpaw back out of her thoughts.

Acornear was silent for a moment, and Frostpaw studied his face closely. The hot-headed ThunderClan deputy's lip twitched, threatening a snarl. He seemed to be fighting hard to keep his emotions under control. Frostpaw had seen Acornear's previous clashes with Swoopstrike before, and she knew it must be killing the proud tom to have to put up with Swoopstrike's arrogance.

"I see," Acornear responded finally in a measured voice, managing to keep his face smooth. "Well, ThunderClan is grateful that Sedgestar sent his best cats for the job."

Swoopstrike's tail twitched irritably like he was bothered he hadn't manage to get a visible rise from the ThunderClan deputy.

"Well Sedgestar didn't send us over here to waste our time," Swoopstrike grunted. "Are we just going to stand at the border exchanging pleasantries all day, or do we have a real patrol to go on? Every heartbeat we waste here is one that my clan-mates and I could be spending hunting for our Clan and patrolling our own territory."

_Or, napping in the sun._

Frostpaw's whiskers twitched in amusement.

"Of course," Acornear said, narrowing his eyes. "Let's head out. We will show you where we scented SkyClan."

The ThunderClan patrol turned, disappearing quickly into the undergrowth, with the ShadowClan patrol following closely behind.

Acornear was leading the group through the thick tangle of undergrowth, weaving through the maze-like vegetation with ease. Frostpaw padded at Swoopstrike's shoulder as he gazed at Acornear's back with an intense gaze from narrowed green eyes. Frostpaw watched Swoopstrike, feeling a prickle of concern.

"We are supposed to be helping them… maybe you shouldn't try to ruffle his fur so much," Frostpaw muttered in a low voice, not loud enough to reach any ThunderClan warriors' ears.

Swoopstrike's ears pricked, and he tore his gaze off Acornear to stare at Frostpaw in shock.

"I'd appreciate it if my apprentice listened to my advice for once, rather than trying to give me some," he hissed back in a whisper.

Frostpaw's pelt prickled indignantly.

_I always listen to your advice!_

"Frostpaw's right."

Another voice broke in as Dappledpelt slipped up on Swoopstrike's other side.

"There's no need to antagonize him deliberately," Dappledpelt whispered. "It's counter-productive to our objective. Sedgestar ordered us to help them."

"Sedgestar didn't order us to be nice to them," Swoopstrike shot back.

Dappledpelt rolled her eyes.

"If a SkyClan cat pins you down, do you think Acornear's leaping to your aid if you keep this up?" she hissed.

"I don't need Acornear," Swoopstrike growled stubbornly. "I have you all."

"Frostpaw and I appreciate your devotion," Dappledpelt responded drily, her whiskers twitching in faint amusement. "But, more claws on our side are better than less, right?"

Swoopstrike gave an irritated huff.

"Whatever," he muttered, pulling ahead to stalk only a paw-step behind Acornear, like he wished he could lead the patrol, if only he knew where they were going.

Frostpaw watched him with a furrowed brow.

"Don't worry, I'll make sure he doesn't claw up our allies," Dappledpelt said in a somewhat amused voice, flicking Frostpaw's side with her tail reassuringly.

Dappledpelt padded ahead to walk close to Swoopstrike.

Frostpaw found herself falling back some, and soon she and Pinepaw were silently walking in matched step. Frostpaw tilted her head back to gaze up at the canopy of unfamiliar trees. The huge, leafy branches above her didn't hold the familiar comfort that the thickly bristled pine needles of ShadowClan territory did. This canopy was so thick, it almost blotted out the sky completely. Above her, there was only a sea of light greens and a few yellows, heralding the quickly approaching leaf-fall. It was strange to look up in the middle of the day, and not catch glimpses of the blue sky between the branches.

Frostpaw was brought back down to earth when a bramble bush snagged a clump of fur from her pelt. She let out a hiss of annoyance.

"Tell me about it," Pinepaw grumbled. "Already, I've gotten five pieces of fur pulled out from all this dumb prickly undergrowth. Truly, it's a miracle that all of ThunderClan isn't bald!"

A loud purr burst from Frostpaw's throat, but she tried to quickly swallow it back.

"Pinepaw!" she gasped. "Shh! You'll offended them!"

"What? It's true isn't it?" Pinepaw said, her whiskers twitching as her amber gaze gleamed in amusement.

Frostpaw was still trying to stifle her purrs when Screechpaw dropped back to walk with the other two apprentices. He seemed younger than Frostpaw and Pinepaw. Frostpaw assumed he must have just been made an apprentice, judging by how his form was still very lanky; not yet filled out with lean muscles from moons of training.

"Hi, I'm Screechpaw. What are your names?" the brown tabby asked, giving them a friendly blink.

"We already know you're Screechpaw, frog-brain. Acornear introduced you," Pinepaw said with an eye-roll.

There was a flash of confusion on Screechpaw's face for a moment before the ThunderClan apprentice seemed to deflate some, turning aside.

"Frostpaw," Frostpaw said to introduce herself. "And, the mean one here is Pinepaw."

Pinepaw gave an offended huff, but said nothing. Screechpaw quickly perked back up.

"Hi Frostpaw! It's nice to meet you. I haven't been to a Gathering yet, so this is my first time meeting cats from another clan. What's life in ShadowClan like?" Screechpaw asked earnestly.

Frostpaw mused for a moment.

"Uh, well, I guess I don't know what living in ThunderClan is like exactly, so I'm not sure how ShadowClan is different," Frostpaw said.

She flicked her tail upwards, indicating the covered up sky.

"Although, one thing is, we normally prefer not to patrol at sun-high," Frostpaw said. "We like morning, evening, and night patrols much better."

"But, sun-high patrols are my favorite! I hate waking up for dawn patrol," Screechpaw said, wrinkling his face up.

"It's too bright and hot at sun-high," Frostpaw said with a shrug.

"That's strange," Screechpaw said thoughtfully. "What else is different?"

"Our territory is different than yours too. Much less annoying thorns," Pinepaw growled irritably as she tugged her tail free from another bramble bush.

"Oh! I've noticed that from across the thunderpath!" Screechpaw said. "There's no undergrowth under the pines. But, ShadowClan is supposed to be so good at stalking. How do you guys sneak up on anything without the cover?"

"That's a confidential ShadowClan secret," Pinepaw sniffed, raising her chin.

"If we told you, we'd have to kill you," Frostpaw said with a faint purr in her voice.

"Wow! You're just like the stories!" Screechpaw said delightedly.

He turned to Frostpaw.

"Also, I've never seen a cat with your fur pattern before. Is that a ShadowClan-thing?" he said curiously.

"Er… no. Just, a me-thing," Frostpaw said, feeling her pelt slight warm in embarrassment as she was reminded of her odd appearance.

Luckily she didn't have to think about it long once Pinepaw spoke.

"Yeah, the stories are all true," Pinepaw said in a grave voice. "We can turn into darkness itself when we enter shadows. We also eat kittens and disobedient apprentices that wander off or get lost at night."

"You're not nearly big enough to eat me," Screechpaw said simply.

Pinepaw narrowed her eyes.

"Is that a challenge?" she asked, her expression turning deadly serious.

Screechpaw's eyes widened a bit in fear.

"The scent was detected not that much farther ahead," Acornear meowed loudly over his shoulder to the entire group following him, interrupting their conversation.

"Yowl it a bit louder next time. I don't think the SkyClan cats… You know, _the ones we're searching for,_ heard you," Swoopstrike's sarcastic voice hissed, his tail-tip twitching.

Acornear's form stiffened, but he said nothing.

Acornear led the group to a massive sycamore tree. Frostpaw felt strangely relieved to spot the familiar type of tree after wandering in foreign territory for so long. It was an impressive specimen, its branches towering above its neighboring trees. Frostpaw tilted her head back to gaze up at it, wondering if this was what the Burnt Sycamore looked like during its life.

"The Great Sycamore," Screechpaw told Frostpaw proudly, noticing her admiring look. "This area around it is one of the best hunting grounds in our territory."

Frostpaw nodded. A comment about the Burnt Sycamore training grounds in ShadowClan territory lingered on her tongue, but she bit it back. She knew that she shouldn't share any information more than necessary with ThunderClan. Screechpaw might seem harmless now, but who knew what he'd be like when he was a warrior.

Acornear flicked his tail to indicate the roots of the tree. The ShadowClan patrol clustered around, everyone getting a good sniff. Frostpaw opened her jaws, the unmistakable SkyClan scent of windblown trees settling on her tongue. SkyClan cats were definitely here. The scent was strong, and certainly less than a day old too.

"Are we close to the SkyClan border?" Emberflower asked Acornear, turning to the ThunderClan deputy and pricking her ears curiously.

Acornear shook his head.

"Hardly," he said with a growl. "Closer to their border than to yours, sure. But, they would have still have to trek a bit to get here. It's not just fox-lengths away."

"The scent is so strong," Redclaw muttered. "They scent-marked here deliberately."

"They want to send a message," Dappledpelt agreed, nodding. "They are claiming your land as theirs."

Nettlepelt gave a low growl, the ThunderClan warrior's thick fur bristling out.

"Well, we will send a message back to them, with our claws," she growled.

"If you can find them," Redclaw pointed out curtly. "They might just be doing this to antagonize or mock you. They could have slipped here in the night, then left. They might not even be on your territory at all."

"That's the thing, before we came across this sent, the dawn patrol had already checked the SkyClan border. There are no scent trails," Acornear said. "No entry or exit scents from them there."

Frostpaw's ears flattened in confusion. Swoopstrike's brow furrowed.

"So you can't find where they crossed the border, at all?" Swoopstrike asked, narrowing his eyes.

"They could've disguised their scents or entered from another place," Acornear said, his voice hot with defensiveness. "But, no. Judging solely on scent, it seems like they magically appeared here at the Great Sycamore, then vanished."

"Why bother being so careful disguising their scents if they only wanted to send a message?" Frostpaw muttered to Pinepaw.

"It doesn't add up," she growled in agreement.

"Is this the only place they scent-marked?" Swoopstrike asked.

"I'm not sure," Acornear admitted. "Right now, I have another patrol nearby, combing the forest to check."

Swoopstrike waved his tail.

"ShadowClan, split up and search for scents trails," he said. "If ThunderClan missed something, we will be sure to find it."

The ShadowClan cats slowly dispersed, noses to the ground, tail-tip twitching faintly in concentration. Frostpaw glided in a circle around the SkyClan scent markers, hoping to pick up a trail leading from the scent there outward, but she could pick up no cat scents besides her clan-mates and ThunderClan. Remembering her training, Frostpaw breathed deeply, thoughtfully running the air over her tongue, this time, not searching for cat scents, but any scent that seemed out of place that the SkyClan cats might have used to disguise their scents.

Frostpaw's concentration was interrupted when Redclaw let out a mew.

"I found something!" she said.

Frostpaw and the rest of the ShadowClan and ThunderClan cats quickly gathered around Redclaw. She was standing next to a bramble bush growing at the base of a tree. There, she pointed with her nose to a piece of white fur stuck in the brambles.

"SkyClan scent," Redclaw declared.

Acornear leaned in to get a sniff.

"That's still not useful," he said with a faint growl. "We already know that they were here. We want to know where they went. And, one tuff of fur doesn't tell us anything about that."

"Well, now we know to check the brambles and thorns more closely for traces of them," Swoopstrike snapped, quickly leaping to Redclaw's defense. "Your cats didn't find any pieces of fur. Did they Acornear?"

Acornear growled, and Frostpaw saw his claws unsheathe and sink into the ground, but the deputy turned away before the argument could escalate. Frostpaw padded closer to the bramble bush, studying the chunk of fur for a moment before her head turned, her gaze wandering to the nearby tree trunk. Frostpaw narrowed her eyes. Very faint white lines marked the dark brown trunk of the tree in front of her muzzle. Sap still oozed at the corners of the lines, not yet solidified, indicating the marks were fresh. Swoopstrike padded to Frostpaw's side, and his gaze followed hers.

"Claw marks?" he mused with a faint growl.

"The trees…" Frostpaw murmured, feeling an icy rush of fear surge through her as her heart dropped down to her stomach.

Her eyes had already flown upwards, and she was studying the branches above their heads warily, her muscles tense. Swoopstrike's ears pricked, understanding her instantly.

"Of course," he growled, urgency filling his voice.

Swoopstrike whirled back to Acornear, wasting no time.

"You're under attack," he growled at the brown tom's back, his silver and black tail lashing.

Acornear turned back to him, his eyes wide.

"What do you mean?" Acornear asked.

"It's an ambush, frog-brain!" Swoopstrike hissed. "And, you walked us right into a trap! They're traveling in the trees. They scent-marked to lure you here, and meanwhile, they are up there! Waiting for the right moment to rain down on us!"

All the cats' eyes went wide, and their gazes shot upwards to stare into the branches above them. But, there seemed to be no SkyClan warriors hidden among the trees.

"I don't see any," Screechpaw said in a hushed, fearful voice.

"They must be nearby," Swoopstrike growled, his brow furrowed in confusion. "They wanted you to be here… why else would they scent-mark?"

Acornear's eyes went round with fear.

"The other patrol… I sent them here before us to search for scents! Fox-dung, SkyClan must be after them. They'll be outnumbered!" Acornear meowed.

"We have to find them!" Foxbite gasped, digging her claws into the ground.

"Follow their scent-trail!" Acornear commanded, springing forward.

But, Swoopstrike leapt in front of him.

"Stop!" he snarled. "Just, think for a moment! We can't just go charging after them with no plan, or we'll be just as trapped as they are. At the mercy of SkyClan pouncing down at us from above!"

Acornear tensed up, snarling at Swoopstrike.

 _"Get. Out. Of. My. Way,"_ Acornear rumbled, each word forced out through clenched fangs.

Swoopstrike's eyes flashed in heated frustration.

"Look frog-brain," Swoopstrike snarled, lashing his tail. "I know you're dull, so I'll put it simply: We're lucky that SkyClan isn't attacking us right now. We've been given precious time to plan here. Don't toss it away like crowfood!"

Acornear didn't respond, instead sinking unsheathed claws into the ground. But, Swoopstrike didn't move. He set his jaw and gazed at the ThunderClan deputy stubbornly. Heavy tension fell over the group like a fog. Frostpaw felt her muscles tighten. If Acornear attacked Swoopstrike, what would they do? Frostpaw had to fight on her mentor's side. But, Sedgestar had made an alliance with ThunderClan!

A faint, pained yowl echoed through the trees, cutting through the tension surrounding the group like a claw.

"We're already too late," Acornear snarled, his ears flattening. "The trap has been sprung. And, I won't leave my clan-mates to fight alone."

Acornear gave Swoopstrike a final bitter look.

"Join us if you wish, snake-heart," he spat.

With that, Acornear dodged around Swoopstrike, and the ThunderClan patrol was gone, dashing towards the sounds of faint fighting. The ShadowClan patrol remained with Swoopstrike, who was glaring after the ThunderClan patrol, his tail lashing.

"We need to help them," Emberflower cut in, padding up to Swoopstrike. "Sedgestar gave Morningstar his word."

"Of course we're going to help ThunderClan!" Swoopstrike snapped. "We just aren't going to be as frog-brained as them about it."

Emberflower narrowed her eyes at Swoopstrike, a silent warning in her gaze, and Swoopstrike quickly looked away from Sedgestar's formidable mate, his head bowed in apology.

"Sorry, Emberflower. I just—I just need a moment to think," Swoopstrike growled.

Dappledpelt walked up to Swoopstrike, lying her tail over his back reassuringly as he stood stiff, his brow furrowed and his head still bowed as he thought.

"Why is SkyClan trying so hard to deliberately lure a patrol out here?" Swoopstrike muttered. "Why did they scent-mark, when they could've not and just ambushed a regular patrol passing by?"

Frostpaw flattened her ears, her tail twitching thoughtfully behind her.

"Morningstar would send a lot of cats out to investigate the scent marks," Frostpaw murmured. "More cats than a regular patrol."

Pinepaw tilted her head.

"But, wouldn't that make it harder for SkyClan? Because it's more cats to ambush?" Pinepaw meowed in confusion.

"No," Swoopstrike said, raising his head, his eyes widening in realization. "This ambush is a diversion. SkyClan must have sent multiple attack patrols…"

"ThunderClan's camp!" Dappledpelt gasped, finishing Swoopstrike's train of thought, and digging her claws into the ground.

"It will be defenseless with all their warriors out, searching for SkyClan!" Emberflower said.

"We need to get there," Swoopstrike growled.

"But, how?" Leafbreeze cut in. "Do you know where their camp is? None of us are familiar with the territory!"

The ShadowClan patrol gazed at each other with wide, helpless eyes.

"We need to get Acornear," Redclaw pointed out, her tail lashing.

"Yes. That _frog-brain!"_ Swoopstrike said with a growl of agreement.

Then they were flying through the trees, hot on the trail of the ThunderClan patrol, and the sounds of battle growing louder in their ears. Frostpaw ran next to Pinepaw, her jaw set. Tight anxiety clenched her chest as her thoughts turned to the battle and bloodshed that awaited them. Redclaw dropped back to run on Pinepaw's other side.

"There's no telling how many SkyClan warriors there will be at ThunderClan's camp," Redclaw said, her voice tight. _"Please._ Be careful. Look out for each other."

"Don't worry, Mom. We've been trained well," Pinepaw said, her voice firm and her amber eyes fixed unwaveringly ahead.

"We will, Redclaw," Frostpaw promised.

Frostpaw crashed through the undergrowth, and the battle suddenly appeared in front of her. It was hard to tell how many SkyClan and how many ThunderClan warriors there were here. Writhing cats clawed each other in the narrow gaps between thorn patches; flashing in and out of sight as their fighting took them behind and then back in front of bushes and ferns.

"You all hang back! I'll find Acornear," Swoopstrike snapped to the ShadowClan patrol before diving into the battleground.

Frostpaw gazed anxiously after Swoopstrike, but like the other fighting cats, she quickly lost sight of him as he disappeared into some bushes. Frostpaw shifted from paw to paw impatiently. It seemed like Swoopstrike was gone for a long time, but in reality she knew it couldn't have been more than a few moments. But, then he had reappeared, Screechpaw in tow. Swoopstrike only had a few new scratches on his pelt, but Screechpaw looked much worse for wear. He had swelling around one eye and was missing huge clumps of fur from his shoulders.

"Where's Acornear?" Emberflower asked.

"I found him, but he didn't want to leave the battle on a hunch," Swoopstrike growled. "He told me to take Screechpaw."

"I'll show you the way to camp," Screechpaw said, raising his chin bravely.

"There's no time to waste," Emberflower urged.

Screechpaw nodded.

"This way!" he meowed, taking off into the trees.

The ShadowClan patrol followed, paws pounding on the hard-packed earth.

As the cats flashed through the trees, the sound of the patrols fighting faded behind them into nothingness, and soon they were running through a silent forest. The only sound in Frostpaw's ears was the rattling of her own rapid breaths and the roaring of her blood. Frostpaw's gaze quickly scanned the unfamiliar forest ahead of her, searching for any hint that they were close to the camp, or close to a SkyClan patrol.

The hint came in the form of an earsplitting wail of horror and grief that raised the fur on Frostpaw's shoulders.

"They've already attacked," Swoopstrike snarled, eyes narrowed.

"We're almost to the camp!" Screechpaw panted, the young cat doubling down and managing to put on a final burst of speed.

Suddenly, the undergrowth around them cleared. The ground beneath Frostpaw's feet began to slope gently downward, the dirt becoming sandy. The overwhelming scent of ThunderClan was heavy in her nose, but she could also smell sharp SkyClan scent penetrating the ThunderClan fog. Yowling and snarling echoed in her ears from ahead, and the air was rank with the metallic tang of blood and sour scent of fear. Frostpaw's stomach clenched in fright.

The ShadowClan patrol was quickly approaching a long line of gorse bushes. Frostpaw's eyes scanned the imposing wall, searching for a way through the thorny plants. Her heart pounded hard beneath her ribs. She was beginning to fear that they were going to crash straight through the gorse, when she noticed that Screechpaw was leading them towards a small tunnel, nearly hidden in the shadows of the gorse.

The patrol streamed single-file through the tunnel. Frostpaw winced as the thorns pulled out more of her fur. But, before she could even worry about her stinging pelt, she was out of the tunnel, and catapulted right into the middle of a vicious battle. Frostpaw came to a halting stop, blinking hard as she tried to gather her bearings.

She was standing in a sandy ravine, encircled by gorse bushes and brambles. And, the camp in front of her was in utter chaos. There were ThunderClan cats in front of bushes, presumedly dens, fighting with all their might to keep a wave of SkyClan warriors from breaking through. There were cats snarling and rolling in the middle of the clearing. There were cats pressed hard against the camp wall, having to fight the cats in front of them and the thorns behind them. And, there were even cats coated in blood, lying much too still on the sandy ground.

Frostpaw was snapped out of her thoughts when a yowl rang out through the camp.

"Reinforcements!" a grey SkyClan she-cat with bright amber eyes shouted the warning.

A long-furred white tom's head reared up from where he was crouched over a pinned ThunderClan warrior in the middle of camp. Blood dripped from his lips as the tom swept furious green eyes over the newly arrived cats.

Frostpaw's stomach clenched.

_Paledusk._

_"ShadowClan!"_ Paledusk spat venomously. "This is not your fight!"

"Then make us leave, mouse-heart!" Swoopstrike yowled. _"ShadowClan, attack!"_

Swoopstrike hared forward and sprung at Paledusk, tackling the larger tom and sending the two of them tumbling away.

While it was clear that SkyClan had badly outnumbered ThunderClan before ShadowClan's arrival, the sides now seemed much more evenly matched. The ShadowClan patrol surged forward like a wave, falling on the SkyClan cats, and Frostpaw joined in the charge.

She wasn't familiar enough with the appearances of all of the ThunderClan or SkyClan cats to tell them apart, especially not when they were covered in blood and dirt. So, she had to rely on scent and context alone to know who her enemies were. An elderly brown tabby she-cat was crouched near a tunnel of ferns, bleeding from a multitude of scratches as she snarled at two ginger toms who loomed over her.

_That looks like a ThunderClan cat in trouble._

Frostpaw ran towards the brown tabby she-cat. Frostpaw leapt and pounced onto the back of the dark ginger tom from behind, biting his ear and kicking her hind-legs down his back. The tom yowled in shock, wiggling hard to try to dislodge her. The other ginger tom with a bend in his tail turned towards Frostpaw, but before he could help his friend, the brown she-cat shot at him with surprising speed for her age and clawed at his face, hissing furiously. Frostpaw was jolted back to attention when the tom under her suddenly fell to his side, rolling to crush her under him.

_Snake-dung!_

Frostpaw scrambled, hissing and spitting as she tried to claw her way out from under the ginger tom. She was half-way back on her feet when a paw flashed out and snagged her long fur. The ginger tom growled furiously, keeping her in place with his one paw and using his other to pin her down, muscling her to the ground as Frostpaw bucked and wiggled, flailing her paws. She managed to twist her neck enough to sink her fangs into one of his fore-legs, and he yowled, releasing her. But, before she could scramble out of range, his claws flashed towards her, scoring down her shoulder. Frostpaw hissed as she felt hot blood well in the fresh wounds.

Suddenly, a tabby apprentice was on the ginger tom's back, clinging to his fur, snarling and screaming like a trapped weasel.

_Screechpaw!_

Frostpaw took advantage of the distracted SkyClan tom, springing forward and swiping at his muzzle, making contact and snapping his head to the side. The tom growled in fury and pain as Screechpaw leapt off of him, and to Frostpaw's side. The tom looked up, and noticing that his companion was gone, driven off by the brown ThunderClan she-cat, he gave a final growl before turning tail and fleeing from Frostpaw and the two ThunderClan cats.

Panting, Frostpaw turned to Screechpaw. The swollen area around his eye had blown up even more, completely blocking his eye from sight. He was panting hard, and blood dripped down from a wound on his chest.

The older brown tabby she-cat limped over to them, her eyes wide with concern as she looked at Screechpaw.

"Screechpaw! You need to get into the medicine cat's den right away. Fallowtuft is in there with the other injured cats," the she-cat said.

"No. I can still fight," Screechpaw panted, his one good eye narrowing in determination.

"You're barely standing on your paws!" the she-cat protested.

Screechpaw ignored her, instead turning and gazing at her in confusion.

"Why aren't you in the elder's den, Pearnose? Where's Mothwhisker?" Screechpaw asked.

The name clicked in Frostpaw's mind. She remembered that Pearnose was ThunderClan's older medicine cat, but at the previous Gathering Morningstar had announced that she retired to the elders den due to painful arthritis. She had gotten a lot of cheering and sympathy by all cats present— medicine cats were generally liked by even cats from other clans.

Pearnose shook her head, her eyes welling with grief.

"Mothwhisker is dead," Pearnose said, her voice rough. "I asked him to come with me to defend Fallowtuft and the medicine cat's den, but he went down fighting instead. Of course. The old fool."

Screechpaw gasped, sitting down on his haunches hard, his eyes round with shock and pain.

Frostpaw felt a stab of empathy in her chest.

_I wonder if this is the first time someone he knew has died…_

Pearnose padded over to Screechpaw to nose his side gently, raising him back to his paws and ushering him towards the medicine cat's den. Pearnose glanced at Frostpaw.

"I will take care of him from here," Pearnose said. "Thank you for your help, ShadowClan warrior."

"Apprentice," Frostpaw corrected automatically, touching her paw to her chest. "Frostpaw."

"Ah, yes I remember you from a gathering sometime back," Pearnose said, blinking curiously at Frostpaw. "When Sedgestar announced your inclusion into ShadowClan. Will you wait here for a moment to guard the entrance while I bring Screechpaw inside?"

"Yeah," Frostpaw said, nodding.

She padded over to block the fern tunnel with her body as Pearnose and Sreechpaw vanished inside, and Frostpaw turned to scan the sea of fighting cats in front of her. The battle had seemed to reach a stalemate. ThunderClan was fighting fang-and-claw to defend their camp with ShadowClan's help, but SkyClan was still holding strong, refusing to be driven from the ravine. Frostpaw spotted Morningstar's thick grey pelt, bushed out and prickling around him as he battled in the very densest area of fighting, bleeding from a multitude of cuts and bites on all parts of him, but his eyes still blazed with energy and fury.

As she continued to scan the crowd she felt a jolt of relief as her gaze found both Redclaw and Swoopstrike. Redclaw and Emberflower were moving in joint, fluid motion as they battled a SkyClan cat together. The litter-mates' motions were so in sync it was hard to tell where the tortoiseshell she-cat stopped and the ginger she-cat began. Meanwhile, Swoopstrike and Dappledpelt were back to back, lashing out at a ring of SkyClan cats that surrounded them; the strength and anger radiating out from the pair was a fearsome sight.

Frostpaw's gaze flicked to the edges of the camp, and she saw Pinepaw there. Frostpaw tensed, her stomach flipping. Pinepaw had gotten cornered with her back to the prickly gorse bushes, and a SkyClan cat in front of her. Pinepaw was hissing and holding her own against the grey SkyClan she-cat for the moment at least, but she was still trapped with no where to flee if need be.

The ferns behind Frostpaw rustled as Pearnose came limping back out.

"I have to go help my friend," Frostpaw said urgently, glancing back at Pearnose.

Pearnose had barely begun to nod an okay before Frostpaw took off, sticking to the edges of the camp, where the fighting was the most sparse to get to Pinepaw as quickly as possible.

Frostpaw was approaching Pinepaw and the grey SkyClan cat quickly, and she tensed her muscles in anticipation of leaping onto the SkyClan cat, when suddenly something heavy hit her back from above _. Hard._

Letting out a cry of shock and pain, Frostpaw's spine arched as her back buckled, her knees collapsed under her and chin smacked the ground. Frostpaw felt two paws on her back and sides, trying to pin her in place to the ground. Shaking off her surprise and blocking out the pain of the fresh bruises, Frostpaw kicked out her hind-paws at the rear feet of her attacker, knocking them off balance. Frostpaw quickly reared up, shoving her feet back under her as she dislodged her attacker's fore-paws, whirling to face them.

"Larchpaw?" Frostpaw snarled, half-incredulous and half-furious at the sight of the familiar SkyClan apprentice from Gatherings.

 _"Larchtail_ now," was all the tabby hissed at her before Larchtail's eyes narrowed into angry slits, and she leapt at Frostpaw again.

Immediately, Frostpaw found herself snapping right back into battle-mode. Frostpaw ducked, and Larchtail sailed harmlessly over her head. Frostpaw turned and reared up on her hind-legs, snarling as she brought her paws slamming down towards Larchtail's head. She managed to smack the side of the she-cat's head, which was enough to get Larchtail to spring backwards, away from her, but not enough to stun her with a direct hit.

Out of the corner of her vision, Frostpaw saw more cats dropping down into the ravine from the branches of the trees that encircled the outside of the ThunderClan camp, like Larchtail must've done— a wave of fresh SkyClan warriors.

Frostpaw felt a rush of icy fear. The number of warriors in the battle were back in SkyClan's favor. Larchtail flashed towards Frostpaw, but she dodged, trying to dash around her. Frostpaw's focus was still on trying to get to Pinepaw. Even with Larchtail and Pinepaw's SkyClan opponent against them, Frostpaw knew that she and Pinepaw would be able to fight better together, watching each other's backs, than they would separately.

Frostpaw managed to flash around Larchtail, haring away while the SkyClan cat gave chase. Frostpaw tensed up as she imagined Larchtail's claws close behind her.

_Please don't leap on me… Please don't leap on me…_

But, she had almost reached Pinepaw and the grey SkyClan she-cat. Frostpaw saw Pinepaw's eyes widen in surprise as she took in the scene of Frostpaw fast approaching her opponent from behind, and Larchtail chasing Frostpaw.

"Suneyes, look out!" Larchtail yowled the warning to her clan-mate.

The grey she-cat started to turn towards Larchtail's cry, but it was too late, Frostpaw had already leapt. Frostpaw bowled over Suneyes, scratching and biting at her short grey pelt, and the two she-cats went tumbling towards the wall of gorse. As soon as Frostpaw hit Suneyes, Pinepaw wasted no time at all in leaping over them, straight towards Larchtail. Larchtail tried to turn her run into a scrambling stop, but she basically collided with Pinepaw, who wrapped her paws around Larchtail's shoulders and sunk her fangs deeply into Larchtail's ear, eliciting a screech of pain.

Her claws still digging into Suneyes' pelt, Frostpaw threw her weight to the side, managing to turn their tumble into a something that resembled a more controlled roll. When Frostpaw rolled underneath Suneyes, she mustered up all the strength she could manage in her hind legs, released her fore-claws, and gave Suneyes a kick strong enough to throw the SkyClan warrior a few tail-lengths away, and straight into the thorny gorse bushes. Frostpaw rolled back to her paws as she watched the grey she-cat growl and claw her way back out of the thorns.

Frostpaw felt the fur on her side stir as Pinepaw appeared next to her. Pinepaw positioned herself so she and Frostpaw stood with their flanks side to side, but they were facing opposite directions. As Frostpaw kept an eye on Suneyes, Pinepaw watched as Larchtail paced a few tail-lengths away from the ShadowClan apprentices, growling menacingly as blood dripped down her face from her newly torn ear.

"Nice for you to show up, Frostpaw," Pinepaw said from over Frostpaw's shoulder, her voice a sarcastic growl.

Frostpaw's ears pricked in surprise at her tone, but she didn't dare take her gaze off Suneyes to look at her den-mate.

"What's that supposed to mean?!" Frostpaw huffed in low tones, not wanting the SkyClan cats to hear them squabbling. "I came here to help you!"

Frostpaw twitched her ears towards Suneyes to indicate the SkyClan warrior, who had finally managed to drag herself out of the thorny gorse.

"All you did was bring more enemies," Pinepaw hissed, narrowing her ears at Larchtail.

"What am I, a piece of crowfood? I brought one enemy, _and_ myself! At worst, it evens out," Frostpaw growled.

 _"Duck,"_ Pinepaw hissed.

Frostpaw hit the ground without hesitation. She and Pinepaw might be arguing, but Frostpaw had learned well from her training that when a clan-mate told you to duck, you did it. No questions asked.

Larchtail went sailing harmlessly over both Pinepaw's and Frostpaw's heads, and then Frostpaw surged forward. When Larchtail landed, but before she had time to turn around, Frostpaw landed a swipe on her flank, feeling her claws tear through the SkyClan cat's flesh. Larchtail hissed, but Frostpaw was already retreating backwards, back to the relative safety of Pinepaw. Suneyes stalked over to Larchtail, while Pinepaw turned to stand at Frostpaw's shoulder to square up against them, and for a heartbeat, the two sets of she-cats just stared at each other.

Frostpaw risked a glance behind her. The tide was turning in SkyClan's favor. There were several SkyClan warriors fighting against ThunderClan or ShadowClan cats two to one. They were driving the ThunderClan cats back into their dens, where they fought frantically to keep the SkyClan cats away from their young, wounded and sick. Frostpaw spotted Redclaw wedged underneath a bramble bush, which appeared to be the nursery. She was blocking the entrance with her body and swiping at any SkyClan cat that came too close.

The pair of SkyClan warriors in front of Frostpaw began to advance, growling softly. Frostpaw tensed, snarling at them as she pushed away the aching of her cut and bruised pelt to prepare for another fight.

Frostpaw's ears pricked.

The sounds of paw-steps echoed under the growls and hisses of fighting, and the gorse barrier behind the SkyClan she-cats begun to shake. Frostpaw felt a stone weight fall into her belly.

_Snake-dung, no! Not more SkyClan._

They would be completely overrun.

Her eyes wide with fear, Frostpaw glanced at Pinepaw. She saw the same worry shining back at her from Pinepaw's amber eyes. A stream of new cats burst from the gorse tunnel, yowling haunting battlecries. But, Frostpaw felt a jolt of surprise and relief when she recognized the long-legged tabby tom at the head of the patrol.

"Sedgestar!" Pinepaw yowled joyfully.

The fresh ShadowClan warriors fell on the SkyClan cats. Frostpaw saw Larchtail shrink back hesitantly and fear light in Suneyes' bright golden gaze at their appearance. Pinepaw sprung at Larchtail and Suneyes with an eager snarl, renewed vigor in her step. Frostpaw followed her, feeling a similar surge of energy revitalizing her tired muscles. It was now ShadowClan's battle to win, and SkyClan knew it.

 _"Fox-dung!"_ Paledusk's voice yowled, ringing through the camp. _"Fall back, SkyClan! Fall back!"_

The SkyClan cats began to scramble, abandoning their attack. The ones closest to the gorse tunnel managed to sprint away, shoving their way through it. Morningstar reared his head back, his long grey fur tangled and matted in blood, and his eyes as wild as a mad dog's.

 _"Don't let those fox-hearts get away so easily! Block the tunnel! Make them pay!"_ the ThunderClan leader howled.

Frostpaw watched the strange turn of events unfold before her. Now, instead of ThunderClan fighting desperately to drive SkyClan out of the camp, ThunderClan warriors scrambled to block the gorse tunnel with their bodies, in order to trap the retreating SkyClan inside.

For a moment, Frostpaw spotted the look of bewilderment on Sedgestar's face at Morningstar's command, but her view of him was quickly cut off as a charge of retreating SkyClan cats blocked him from sight. Frostpaw attention was snapped back to her immediate surroundings when Pinepaw leapt towards Larchtail and Suneyes, apparently determined to drive them off. Frostpaw followed her, hissing and slashing at the SkyClan cats. They retreated backwards, their faces uncertain as they searched for a way to flee.

"Screw it," Suneyes snarled, turning to dive into the prickly gorse, fighting her way through the bush, and finally pushing out the other side.

After a moment of hesitation, Larchtail followed her through the gorse, sending a final poisonous look at Frostpaw and Pinepaw as she did so. Frostpaw looked around, seeing other SkyClan warriors doing the same in a last-ditch effort to escape the camp. Frostpaw watched as Paledusk ran off as well. The SkyClan deputy didn't even hesitate before diving into the thick gorse tangles. Frostpaw watched as his long white fur got caught in the thorns, but he shouldered his way through the bush. Soon the sounds of fighting faded, as the last SkyClan warriors broke through the gorge barrier and fled into the forest. The ThunderClan cats and ShadowClan cats stood still, in silence for a moment. No victorious cheers were raised from the ThunderClan side. Not even wails of anger or cries for the bodies of cats that lay scattered through out the camp. Frostpaw felt a twinge of relief that she didn't recognize any of those pelts.

It was the ShadowClan cats who began to move first. As if it was instinctive, they began to cluster around Sedgestar. Frostpaw saw Swoopstrike supporting a limping Dappledpelt with his shoulder as they headed over. She saw Redclaw come creeping out of the ThunderClan nursery, soothing a young, crying ThunderClan kit that came stumbling out behind her. Pinepaw padded straight towards Sedgestar, her chin held high. Frostpaw padded over to her leader as well, limping as her bruises and scratches suddenly began aching as the adrenaline of battle faded from her body.

Then the gorge barrier began to shake again, and Frostpaw immediately tensed once more, turning towards the tunnel, but the cats that came running through were only a patrol of bedraggled ThunderClan warriors, with Acornfur at the rear. The ThunderClan deputy looked around at the disaster of the camp; his eyes wide with shock and horror.

"Frostpaw!"

Autumnpaw was bounding up to her, his eyes wide. Besides a scratch on his nose, he seemed no worse for wear.

"Are you all okay?" he asked, concern in his gaze. "Is Pinepaw here? Where's Pinepaw? And, Redclaw?"

"I'm okay," Frostpaw meowed. "They're okay too. I was just with Pinepaw, and I saw Redclaw just a heartbeat ago."

Autumnpaw heaved a sigh of relief, walking with her a few tail-lengths closer to where the rest of ShadowClan was grouping before sitting down heavily.

"It's a good thing you and Sedgestar's patrol arrived when you did," Frostpaw muttered, gingerly taking a seat next to him to avoid aggravating her bruises.

Autumnpaw leaned over and began to groom some of her blood out of her shoulder fur. Frostpaw winced when his tongue scraped over the scratches there.

"I was afraid SkyClan was going to tear us apart without more backup," she continued in a low voice. "How'd Sedgestar know that we needed up?"

"ThunderClan sent a runner as soon as the attack began here. Barredpaw, I think it was. He told us their camp was under attack without enough warriors, because they had patrols out, and your patrol was still out," Autumnpaw said, leaning back from grooming to gaze at her seriously for a moment.

"I was so scared about what happened to you. I mean— all of you," he amended quickly. "Redclaw and Pinepaw too. The way Barredpaw made it sound, I thought we'd make it here to find ThunderClan dead, and you all slaughtered somewhere in their territory."

Frostpaw's ears flattened.

_If SkyClan had it their way, that might not be too far off the mark._

Frostpaw's attention was drawn away from Autumnpaw when she saw Sedgestar make his way out of the crowd of ShadowClan cats and pad over to Morningstar. The ThunderClan leader was hunched over the body of a grey tom, his shoulders taunt with grief. Frostpaw saw the medicine cat Fallowtuft pad up to Morningstar with herbs in his jaws to use on Morningstar's many wounds, but Morningstar sent him away with a mutter to treat everyone else before him. Sedgestar walked over to Morningstar's shoulder, where he stood in silence for a moment. Morningstar didn't look up.

"Morningstar…" Sedgestar murmured, drawing the ThunderClan leader's attention to him.

"It should have been me," Morningstar said, his voice so low that it barely reached Frostpaw's ears. "Rockstorm was so young; his whole life ahead of him. While I have many lives to use…"

Morningstar suddenly jerked his head up, rising to his feet with his eyes burning with hatred and grief.

"SkyClan has gone too far this time! The time for border skirmishes is over!" Morningstar snarled. "If SkyClan wants war, that's what we will give them! Our next battle goes to them, in _their_ camp."

Sedgestar's eyes widened a bit in concern at Morningstar's unhinged expression.

"Morningstar, let's talk about this," he said in an even voice. "If we think—"

 _"No!"_ Morningstar spat, beginning to pace with his tail bristled and lashing. "They killed my cats, in our home! We will go to war _today._ Launch an attack on their camp."

"Today? At least let your cats rest for now. They are wounded and tired," Sedgestar pointed out, his voice low.

This seemed to bring Morningstar back to himself, at least, somewhat. Frostpaw saw a shadow of doubt flash on his face, but only for a moment.

"But, so are SkyClan's," Morningstar stubbornly persisted. "That's why they won't be expecting it. And, besides, you still have a patrol of fresh warriors. SkyClan fled quickly as soon as the patrol you led showed up."

Sedgestar's eyes narrowed, the gentle empathy that had been on the ShadowClan leader's face vanishing like morning fog on a sunny day.

"I won't put my cats in that kind of danger. Some of my warriors already fought one battle for you today. I will not make them fight another," Sedgestar said, his voice cold.

Morningstar's ears flattened, and his lips curled back into a snarl.

"Are you backing out of our deal?" Morningstar said, turning on Sedgestar to snarl in his face. "Three moons, three battles. That was our promise; I haven't gone over, have I?"

Sedgestar didn't flinch. Frostpaw felt her claws curling out of her paws at Morningstar's threatening pose, and all around her she could feel the air tensing between the ThunderClan and ShadowClan cats, like at any moment, a fight could break out between them.

"Morningstar. I think Sedgestar is right," Acornear's voice suddenly cut in.

Morningstar's eyes widened in shock at the interruption as he turned to his deputy. Acornear padded up to him and bowed his head, his eyes filled with shame.

"It's my fault that ThunderClan reinforcements didn't arrive at the camp in time to help you. Instead of listening to Swoopstrike's hunch that SkyClan was planning an attack on the camp, I charged into battle without thinking. I didn't even consider the possibility that they had sent another patrol to attack the camp. If I hadn't run off, we could've warned the camp before the attack. And, the warriors in _both_ my patrol, and Swoopstrike's would've been there to defend it. I'm so sorry," Acornear said.

Frostpaw's eyes sought out Swoopstrike in the crowd of ShadowClan warriors. His chin was raised, but surprisingly, his expression wasn't as smug as she expected. He was studying Acornear with a carefully neutral gaze.

"I don't want us to make this same mistake again," Acornear continued. "We should regain our strength and come up with a plan before attacking. Even if that means delaying the attack for some time. Remember, we still won the battle today; SkyClan is the one on the retreat. We have the time to think about it."

"It's basically leaf-fall already," Morningstar growled. "If we lose the hunting grounds we regained a few moons ago, we will starve this leaf-bare."

"I know," Acornear responded steadily, raising his head to look Morningstar in the eye. "But, we won't lose. SkyClan already showed their biggest advantage—their tree-ambush, so we know to beware of it. We won't delay long enough for them to come up with a better plan. We will strike their camp and deliver the final blow long before that."

Morningstar was silent for a long moment, his tail flicking. Finally, he gave a curt nod.

"We will attack their camp when a half of moon has passed from now," he growled.

Sedgestar nodded at Morningstar.

"I agree with that timeline," Sedgestar meowed.

Morningstar looked at Sedgestar out of the corner of his eyes.

"Thank you for your warriors' help today. But, ThunderClan now needs time to tend to our wounded and grieve our dead. I trust you all can find yourselves to the border," Morningstar said.

Sedgestar gave a single nod and turned, waving his tail to gather his warriors close around him. Frostpaw saw Redclaw slowly walk over to Pinepaw, shooting a final glance over her shoulder at the ThunderClan kit she had been comforting. The kit was now curled against the body of a tabby and white queen, her mother presumably, mewling softly with grief. Pain filled Redclaw's eyes for a moment before the ShadowClan she-cat looked away from the kit, turning instead to Pinepaw. She gently licked some blood off of the dark apprentice's forehead. Frostpaw half-expected Pinepaw to duck away; even when she was a kit, she had always acted eager to be independent of her mother. But, instead Pinepaw just gave a brief purr, blinking at Redclaw with a gentle look in her amber eyes.

Sedgestar led the way through the now mangled gorse tunnel, and ShadowClan headed home.


	19. Calm Before The Storm

Pine branches whipped past over Frostpaw's head as she ran through the forest. A cool leaf-fall breeze stirred her fur, playfully flicking around her ears, but her pelt was warmed by the rising, morning sun. Autumnpaw was only a tail-length away, at her side, matching her with every stride. They had been sent out on their own today; it was a final hunting test on how much prey they could bring back to camp without a warrior's help.

The half moon until the attack ShadowClan had planned with ThunderClan had almost come to pass, but Frostpaw tried to put those thoughts and worries out of her mind, at least for this hunt. Instead, she let herself enjoy the feeling of supple strength in her muscles. They stretched and flexed as she raced through the trees. Her wounds from the battle in ThunderClan's camp had healed fully, so every step was easy. A limber reach forward, followed by a powerful kick backward to propel herself onwards. There was something empowering and satisfying about it. Frostpaw asked her legs to run, and they did so, every motion tireless. She felt like she could run to the moon if she needed.

Frostpaw raised her nose, taking a deep breath of the forest, but she didn't search the air for prey. Instead she just let the sharp, familiar scent of the pines wash over her. Even though leaf-fall was now here, the evergreen color of the pine needles above her were unchanging and as vibrant as they were in green-leaf. The only hint of autumn in ShadowClan's woods was the foggy breath that panted from Frostpaw's and Autumnpaw's mouths and drifted up towards the sky.

Frostpaw shot a glance over at Autumnpaw. She blinked, noticing, somehow for the first time, how grown-up he looked. Frostpaw, Autumnpaw and his litter-mates might have been almost adult sized since they were six-moons old, but it wasn't until now that they were approaching the end of their apprenticeships that they were starting to look like true warriors. As the weather turned cooler, Autumnpaw's fluffy auburn and white coat had filled out. His muzzle also appeared broader and stronger, making his face look a lot like his father's, Weaseltail's. And, as he had put on muscle from all of the training they've done for moons, he had lost the gangly lankiness he used to have as a young apprentice, filling out into a powerful silhouette.

Frostpaw glanced back forward. She knew many similar changes must have happened to her too. Her coat had certainly thickened into a long pelt that swirled around her like a grey and creamy-white cloud, and her body had also become lean and muscular.

But, the biggest change though, Frostpaw thought, was the comfortableness that she felt in her own skin. Even with the threat of SkyClan, and the battle that was coming quickly, for maybe for the first time in her life, Frostpaw felt… content. As she ran, the sweet, sharp scent of pine in her nose, the cool breeze through her fur, the silent companionship of Autumnpaw at her side, Frostpaw couldn't shake the deep sense of belonging that permeated down into her bones.

Frostpaw raised her muzzle, taking a deep breath of the cool air surrounding her, feeling the springiness of the pine needle covered ground under her paws.

_Who cares about SkyClan. Or, Paledusk._

_This. This is all I need._

After a while, Autumnpaw slowed his pace, so Frostpaw did too, the two coming to the stop in the thick of the pine forest.

"Should we hunt here?" Autumnpaw asked, tail flicking eagerly behind him.

"This place seems as good as any to me," Frostpaw said.

Autumnpaw led the way, padding off into the trees. Frostpaw followed, right behind him.

"What do you think Beeclaw and Swoopstrike would do to us if we come back empty-pawed?" Autumnpaw asked from over his shoulder, his amber eyes sparkling with mischief.

Frostpaw heaved a dramatic sigh.

"Well, of course, Beeclaw will look disappointed in you, but say that you'll do better next time. While Swoopstrike will tell me that if I don't go back out there and catch something, he'll cut me up and feed me to the elders instead," Frostpaw said, her tail flicking playfully.

Autumnpaw snickered.

"That's a good one. Hm, but I'd guess that Swoopstrike would actually say that you hunt worse than a new-born kit," Autumnpaw said.

"I think I know my mentor well enough to know what insult he'd use against me," Frostpaw joked, a purr in her voice.

Autumnpaw's eyes lit up.

"Want to bet on it? Once we're done hunting, we should hide our prey outside the thorn barrier and walk into the camp and pretend like we didn't get any," Autumnpaw said with a purr. "Just to see which of us is right. And, the winner can get all of the softest feathers from the loser's nest!"

"What! No way!" Frostpaw huffed, mockingly outraged.

"What? Why not? It'll just be a harmless prank," Autumnpaw said, slowing to walk by her side and widening his eyes at her. "Unless you care about your nest's feathers so much?"

"Maybe it'd be harmless for _you_ ," Frostpaw purred. "But, are you trying to get _me_ killed by Swoopstrike?!"

Autumnpaw bumped her shoulder with his affectionately.

"Aw come on now," he purred. "Swoopstrike would only _threaten_ to kill you. He'd never _actually_ go through with it. Think about it. How many times now has he said he'd kill you but instead risked his own neck to rescue you from all sorts of trouble you got yourself in? Rabbitstar, various fights, the river…"

"Hey! I've never gotten myself into trouble!" Frostpaw protested, whirling on him with an air of playful indignation. "Trouble just finds me!"

Autumnpaw purred.

"Okay. Okay," he said, backing away to show he conceded. "You don't _cause_ trouble. Still, my point is: After he's gone through all this effort to train you and to save your sorry hide, you really think he'd waste all that hard work now on killing you? When you're nearly ready to be a proper warrior and be out of his fur for good?"

"My _'sorry hide!'_ " Frostpaw squeaked offendedly, ignoring the questions and jumping straight to the insult.

"What?" Autumnpaw asked, his tail flicking playfully behind him as his eyes gleamed with mischief. "I bet your hide was very sorry all those times it was being attacked or when it almost drowned in the river."

"You take that back!" Frostpaw huffed, head-butting his shoulder.

Autumnpaw stood firm against her shove, not moving a whisker, still purring.

"But, it's true!" Autumnpaw said.

He twitched his whiskers, tilting an ear towards her in a playfully arrogant way as he remained unyielding.

"You're insufferable," Frostpaw grumbled, stomping around him and starting to walk off into the trees.

"Then why do you keep hanging out with me?" he quipped from behind her.

"Being forced to spend so much time with Swoopstrike has made me masochistic," Frostpaw said, her voice dripping with sarcasm as she looked back at him from over her shoulder.

Autumnpaw laughed hard, his purrs ringing loudly through the trees. He bounded up to her side

"Don't you dare compare me to Swoopstrike. I don't think I've _ever_ seen him happy," Autumnpaw said, his amber eyes sparkling. "I'm an absolute ray of sunshine compared to him."

"Oh? So, you can talk about my pathetic hide in need of constant rescue. But, when I make _one_ comparison between you and Swoopstrike, who, _as you pointed out just moments ago,_ is a good warrior who has often saved me despite risk to himself. _That's_ going too far?" Frostpaw teased, widening her eyes at Autumnpaw.

"Well, er— that's not exactly what I meant," Autumnpaw said, back-pedaling quickly. "I mean. I'm gonna be a good warrior too, and of course I'll be there for you if you ever need me—"

"Nope, you're right," Frostpaw said, cutting him off, her tail flicking mischievously behind her. "Thanks for letting me see your real character now. Truly, it's a relief to know. Now I know if I'm ever in trouble, I should find someone else to help me!"

"You know that's not what I meant!" Autumnpaw protested, flattening his ears into a grumpy expression.

Frostpaw just purred, flicked her tail and didn't respond. Instead she took off into the forest, her feet flying.

"Hey! Where are you going?" Autumnpaw shouted after her.

"We're supposed to be hunting right?" Frostpaw said over her shoulder. "But, I'm sure your yowling scared off everything around here! Let's go!"

Autumnpaw caught up to her quickly, his amber eyes bright with competition as he doubled down, putting on a burst of speed. Frostpaw twitched her tail, but she slowed her pace slightly, letting him pass her, watching his paws as his stride crept ahead of hers. The ground was soft and springy under their feet from the layers of moss and pine needles that coated the forest floor. Frostpaw could almost imagine the spring from every step helped propel them forward faster. As Autumnpaw drew ahead of her, he raised his chin in pride, but Frostpaw flashed out a forepaw, swiping his hind-legs out from under him. Autumnpaw let out a yelp as he tumbled across the spongey ground, head over tail. Frostpaw purred as she out-stripped him, but she came to a stop only a few fox-lengths away from his sprawled form to make sure he hadn't gotten hurt. She turned to see him stumbling back to his paws.

"You snake-heart!" Autumnpaw sputtered as he rose to his feet.

"'In battle, surprise is often more valuable than strength,'" Frostpaw said, twitching her whiskers.

"Don't quote Grovepelt to me!" Autumnpaw growled, flicking moss off of his ears.

Frostpaw searched his expression, making sure that she hadn't gone too far and actually made him angry at her, and she was relieved to see his amber eyes still glowed with warmth.

"Hmph," Autumnpaw grumbled as he padded back over to Frostpaw. "I don't know how cats like Dampfang can be so cotton-brained. Because you're clearly the most black-hearted, ShadowClan-natured cat of us all."

Frostpaw knew Autumnpaw was teasing, but still hearing that he thought she was ShadowClan-natured touched Frostpaw deeply, more deeply even than she suspected he intended. She felt a rush of warm pride in her chest, and she raised her chin. Autumnpaw nudged her shoulder with his muzzle.

"You're a sneaky snake," he said, his voice teasing.

"At least I'm not a slow-tail," Frostpaw shot back, poking his fluffy chest with a paw.

"What! I was winning before you tripped me!" Autumnpaw protested.

"I let you pass me so I could trip you," Frostpaw responded, her blue eyes glinting.

Autumnpaw groaned.

"Out of all the cats in the forest, why does my best friend have to the most heartless?" he lamented.

Frostpaw just purred in response, giving a shrug. They stood for a moment together in companionable silence. Frostpaw gazed out into the forest around her, feeling the slight chill in the breeze on her whiskers. Her gaze flickered back to Autumnpaw, to see him already staring at her. He blinked at her as their eyes met. He opened his mouth like he was going to say something, but Frostpaw beat him to it.

"Well, we better actually get hunting," Frostpaw said her voice taking back on a serious tone. "Or, else we'll be stuck out here all day."

Autumnpaw tilted his head.

"But, the weather is beautiful. It feels like it's just the two of us and the whole forest. Would being stuck out here together all day be so bad?" he asked, his amber eyes searching hers.

Frostpaw's brow furrowed in confusion.

"But, I told Swoopstrike—"

Autumnpaw looked away from her, his ears flattening.

"I know, Frostpaw," he said quickly, interrupting her.

There was a hint of something, frustration or impatience or even hurt maybe, in his voice. Frostpaw knew Autumnpaw could be hot-tempered, just like his mother Redclaw and his sister Pinepaw. She had seen his temper flare countless times when he got into spats with Dampfang or Poolpaw or Pinepaw. But, he always seemed to have an infinite supply of patience for her. Frostpaw's ears flattened, feeling her chest tighten as her uncertainty deepened.

_What did I do wrong?_

Autumnpaw glanced back over to her, and his eyes softened as he read her expression. He touched his nose to her ear in a reassuring way.

"Never mind; you're right. Let's get hunting," he said, drawing away, his tail perking up as he seemed to return to his normal cheerful self.

Frostpaw hesitated for a moment, but then she followed him, putting the strange encounter out of her mind.

They returned to camp with jaws full of prey. There weren't many reptiles to be seen, but the weather had not yet turned cool enough to scare away the mice, squirrels and birds that lived in the ShadowClan forest. As they padded through the thorn barrier surrounding camp, Frostpaw was surprised to see many cats gathering in the clearing and Sedgestar standing on top of the Clanrock. Swoopstrike padded up to Frostpaw, giving a curt nod at the prey in her jaws.

"Well done. Put that down, then come over. Sedgestar's called a clan meeting to talk about the SkyClan battle," he meowed.

Frostpaw and Autumnpaw nodded as Swoopstrike turned and walked back over to the crowd of cats. Autumnpaw and Frostpaw quickly put their prey in the fresh-kill pile and headed over to take a seat. Sedgestar waited until they had settled before speaking.

"It's almost been a half moon since the battle in ThunderClan's camp. Morningstar is eager to retaliate against SkyClan, and requests our help with an attack on SkyClan's camp," Sedgestar said.

His words were met with silence. All of the clan was well aware of this. They had spent all the precious time they had since the ThunderClan camp battle preparing for it.

"This will be the last battle we will aid ThunderClan with," Sedgestar said. "I know some of you aren't pleased with all the help we've had to give them, but I promised Morningstar three battles in three moons. And, I intend to keep my word. Of course battles are dangerous, but we are the strongest Clan in the forest. I don't think we need to fear SkyClan."

Frostpaw gazed up at Sedgestar, wondering how much of his words he truly believed.

In the ThunderClan camp battle, Frostpaw knew SkyClan had killed at least three ThunderClan cats, and she knew those deaths could very well happen to ShadowClan cats instead. ShadowClan wasn't invulnerable.

Frostpaw shuddered. The line between life and death sometimes seemed so thin. Autumnpaw studied her face, shooting her a concerned look, but Frostpaw just gave a small head shake at him, waiting for Sedgestar to finish.

"I spoke with Morningstar on the border a few sunrises ago, and we agreed that we will launch the attack this evening, at sunset," Sedgestar said. "I will personally lead the ShadowClan battle patrol."

Grovepelt, who had been calmly sitting at the base of Clanrock next to Clearstream and Elmclaw, rose to his paws then, his ears pricked in surprise.

"Sedgestar, may I please interrupt for a moment?" Grovepelt meowed.

Sedgestar dipped his head to his deputy.

"Of course, Grovepelt," he meowed, his voice deep with respect.

"I wasn't aware that you were planning on leading the patrol yourself, and I must object," Grovepelt said, his green eyes staring intently at Sedgestar. "Although we've been allied with Morningstar, we mustn't forget that this is still ultimately a war between ThunderClan and SkyClan. Don't you think it would send the wrong message to Fennelstar if a ShadowClan patrol led by you attacks his camp? Is Morningstar even planning on being there, leading the ThunderClan patrol?"

Sedgestar flicked his ears dismissively.

"Who Morningstar chooses to be on his patrol is his own business," Sedgestar meowed before, in a rare public display of emotion, his face softened with fondness as he looked down at Grovepelt. "And, my old friend, I didn't discuss this with you because I knew you were sure to make a sensible point like this. But, unfortunately, I've already made up my mind. As you know, fighting a clan in their own camp is very different than fighting out in their territory. Cats are more desperate to defend their dens, kits, and elders. They're more dangerous. I'm asking my warriors to risk greater harm, and not just for our clan's sake, but ThunderClan's too. What kind of leader would I be if I was not willing to do the same?"

Grovepelt dipped his head in concession to Sedgestar, clearly seeing that he would not change the stubborn ShadowClan leader's mind.

"Noble frog-brain," Clearstream murmured just loud enough for the crowd to hear and a wave of _mrrows_ rippled through ShadowClan.

Sedgestar twitched his whiskers good-naturedly as his Clan laughed, their mood lightened at least for a moment.

"Just a warning; if any one of you, of course, besides my medicine cats or my lovely mate, tries to call me 'frog-brain,' you'll be on tick patrol for a moon," Sedgestar said, a purr in his voice.

Sedgestar waited until the purring dissipated, the mood sobering once more.

"This clan meeting is over, but don't go anywhere yet. I will speak to the cats that I've chosen to join me on the battle patrol," Sedgestar said.

He bounded down from the Clanrock, padding into the crowd of clan-mates that quickly gathered around him. Autumnpaw flicked his ears towards the fresh-kill pile, drawing Frostpaw's attention to him.

"Want to grab a bite while Sedgestar is making the rounds? I'm sure someone else already fed the queens and elders while we were out this morning. And, I think we've earned a meal after all the hunting we did," Autumnpaw said.

Frostpaw's stomach growled in agreement, and she nodded. They padded across camp to the fresh-kill pile, and spotted Pinepaw and Poolpaw heading their way too, evidently having the same idea. Poolpaw waved his fluffy black-and-white tail in greeting to Autumnpaw and Frostpaw.

"Hey! How went your hunt this morning?" Poolpaw asked, his eyes taking on a playful gleam. "After Pinepaw's and my hunt last evening, I'd be surprised if there was any prey left in the forest for you two."

"It was pretty good," Frostpaw meowed quietly, trying to hold on to the peaceful feeling that she had this morning before her mind had been once more filled with thoughts of battle.

"It went perfect. See for yourself," Autumnpaw boasted, puffing his chest out as he gestured to the large fresh-kill pile. "All the prey here is freshly caught by me and Frostpaw."

Poolpaw wrinkled his nose, bending down to give the pile a deep sniff.

"I don't know… some of these mice smell pretty stale to me," Poolpaw teased.

"Stale? You must just be smelling your own breath," Autumnpaw said, giving Poolpaw a shove.

"You're one to talk," Poolpaw shot back. "I have to hold my breath anytime you so much as speak to me. I think you need to see Clearstream because you have a problem."

Autumnpaw gave a playful growl, falling into a crouch and wiggling his hindquarters as he readied himself to spring. Pinepaw heaved an exaggerated sigh.

"Will you two knock it off?" she huffed. "We may be fighting in a battle later today; don't waste your energy shoving each other into the dirt!"

Frostpaw twitched an ear, privately agreeing with Pinepaw.

Autumnpaw growled again, but irritably this time. He did straighten though, apparently having seen the wisdom in her words.

"Well the mighty Pinepaw has spoken, so we must obey," Poolpaw said, turning back to Autumnpaw with eyes wide with mock seriousness. "Truce?"

"Truce," Autumnpaw agreed.

Frostpaw purred softly to herself. She knew the "truce" wouldn't last. In fact, she wondered if Poolpaw and Autumnpaw would ever outgrow their mock fights. She could imagine them in the elders den together, squabbling over who gets the best basking spot in the sunlight.

The focus shifting back towards food, each apprentice chose a piece of fresh-kill for themselves and settled down near the fresh-kill pile to eat. Frostpaw munched quietly on the mouse she picked, half-listening to Poolpaw and Autumnpaw continue their now subdued banter, and half-thinking about the impending battle. It wasn't until she was close to done with her meal that Frostpaw realized Pinepaw was being unusually quiet. The dark apprentice was eating a robin in silence, her brow furrowed. Although Pinepaw had rebuked Autumnpaw and Poolpaw once, normally by now she would have at least told them to put a mouse in it again, or gotten in on the argument, informing them that, actually, they both have entirely repulsive breath.

"Are you thinking about something?" Frostpaw murmured, not loud enough to interrupt Autumnpaw and Poolpaw's conversation, but loud enough for Pinepaw to hear.

Pinepaw pricked her ears in surprise.

"…Thinking about cuffing them both if they don't shut up," Pinepaw growled, flicking her tail at Autumnpaw and Poolpaw, her eyes gleaming wickedly.

Frostpaw gave a quiet purr.

_There's the Pinepaw I know._

But, then Pinepaw's brow furrowed again. Her face turned serious, and she glanced away from Frostpaw.

"I was also thinking about the battle actually," she murmured in a low voice, down at the robin between her paws. "I think we're doing too much for ThunderClan. I know Sedgestar promised to help them, but he promised to help them _defend_ their land. Not launch an attack in another clan's camp. I've just been thinking about what Grovepelt said. How it'll send a bad message to SkyClan."

Frostpaw felt cold worry stirring in her chest at Pinepaw's words.

"Do you think this'll start a war between ShadowClan and SkyClan?" Frostpaw whispered.

Pinepaw shrugged.

"Maybe. I don't know," she muttered.

Pinepaw sighed. She stared out into camp. Pinepaw's face still seemed troubled, like she had more to say, but empty silence stretched out between them again. Frostpaw looked away from her, and down at the scraps of mouse between her grey-striped paws. Pinepaw had said more than Frostpaw had expected at least. It was a good effort.

"There's no good way out of it anyway," Pinepaw continued suddenly, making Frostpaw's ears prick in surprise. "If Sedgestar refuses to attack SkyClan's camp, Morningstar calls him a snake-hearted oath-breaker, and then we've got ThunderClan and maybe SkyClan to contend with…"

Pinepaw's voice trailed off.

"And, if we attack, we make SkyClan furious," Frostpaw added for her.

"Yeah… Either way, someone is going to be really pissed at us. So, I guess, why worry?" Pinepaw said, giving a bitter purr.

Frostpaw twitched her tail, but her attention was drawn away from Pinepaw as Sedgestar and Grovepelt came padding over to the group of apprentices. Autumnpaw and Poolpaw quickly silenced their conversation as the leader and deputy approached.

"Grovepelt and Fogfur told me that you two did excellent on your hunts last night," Sedgestar said to Poolpaw and Pinepaw, who both dipped their heads respectfully to him.

"And, I heard from Beeclaw and Swoopstrike that you two did exemplary as well," Sedgestar said, turning to Frostpaw and Autumnpaw.

Autumnpaw and Frostpaw bowed their heads to him too. Frostpaw's pelt warmed at his praise, despite the worry about SkyClan nesting in her chest. Grovepelt was nodding along with Sedgestar's words.

"There is little more that we can teach them," Grovepelt added, his green eyes bright. "They have proven themselves to have true ShadowClan spirits— fierce, shrewd, strong and clever. I am very proud of you all."

Frostpaw could almost feel the ripple of joy that went through Pinepaw's pelt at her mentor's words. Pinepaw raised her chin, her amber eyes shining. Frostpaw studied her from out of the corner of her eye.

_She hardly seems like the same cat who, the day that she was apprenticed, complained about being given a mentor "as old as dirt."_

Sedgestar gave a deep, pleased purr.

"That's very good. Then it's decided. Your last act as apprentices will be to join me on this battle patrol. When we get back to camp, I will hold your warriors' ceremonies. As is ShadowClan tradition, you will be given your names under the light of Silverpelt," Sedgestar said.

"Is the battle a final test?" Poolpaw asked, his tail-tip twitching a bit anxiously.

Sedgestar shook his head.

"I like to give our apprentices the ability to prove their merits in battle before their warrior ceremonies, but it isn't a test because there's no way to fail," Sedgestar said with a soft purr. "I know you all will fight valiantly."

Sedgestar turned and began to walk away, Grovepelt following.

"Grovepelt?" Pinepaw asked, and the deputy paused, turning to glance back at her. "Will you be on the battle patrol with us?"

Grovepelt shook his head.

"Sedgestar wants me to stay here, in charge of the cats left in camp," Grovepelt meowed.

"Oh. Okay," Pinepaw meowed, her ears drooping slightly.

Frostpaw glanced at her, detecting a hint of disappointment in her tone.

_Maybe she wanted her mentor see her fight in her last battle as an apprentice._

Grovepelt's green gaze softened as he looked down at Pinepaw.

"You don't need me there. I know you are capable," Grovepelt meowed.

Pinepaw pricked her ears again, her jaw setting determinedly.

"Still, the stories that the elders tell about your battles as a young warrior are legendary!" Poolpaw interrupted. "It's a shame we won't be able to see you fight in a real battle."

Grovepelt glanced at Sedgestar, who had paused and turned back to wait for Grovepelt. The deputy leaned in towards the apprentices confidentially.

"I think Sedgestar thinks I'm too old and frail now to risk being sent into battle," Grovepelt said with a quiet purr.

"I would never dare call you old," Sedgestar said quickly, his brow furrowed.

Grovepelt gave a rough purr as he straightened again.

"You may not say it, but your actions make clear that you think it," Grovepelt meowed as he padded back over to Sedgestar.

Sedgestar opened his mouth as if to protest, but Grovepelt just laid his tail over his shoulders.

"Peace, Sedgestar. I'm only teasing. There's no need for you to say it because I know it's true, and _I_ have no problem saying it," Grovepelt meowed. "Truthfully, my old bones are grateful you told them to stay in camp."

Sedgestar shook his head, giving a purr that sounded half amused and half exasperated.

"You know, staying in camp is an important job. We can't leave the kits and elders vulnerable to attack," Sedgestar said as the two of them padded away together. "I'm not just leaving you here so you can rest."

"Of course," Grovepelt said a purr in his voice, as the apprentices watched them leave.

Poolpaw took another bite of his food, chewing thoughtfully.

"They're funny together," Poolpaw said once the leader and deputy were out of earshot. "You know, I think Grovepelt's right. Sedgestar does fret around him like a worried mother goose. He just tries really hard to hide it."

"Grovepelt knows more about the forest and the other clans than any other cat in this camp," Pinepaw snapped at her brother. "He's one of ShadowClan's most valuable assets, of course Sedgestar wants to make sure he stays safe!"

"Woah, hey, calm down," Poolpaw said holding a paw up in surrender. "I wasn't saying that Grovepelt's not."

Pinepaw glared sourly at Poolpaw, her tail-tip twitching.

"Frostpaw."

Frostpaw's ears pricked, her attention pulled from Pinepaw and Poolpaw. She turned to see Swoopstrike padding up to her. He jerked his chin sharply to the side, indicating for her to follow him a bit aways from the other apprentices. Frostpaw quickly scraped some earth over the scraps of her meal, and rose to her paws. With a tail-wave of farewell to Autumnpaw, Poolpaw, and Pinepaw, she followed Swoopstrike away from them and across the camp, to a secluded area under an overhang of the thorn barrier. In the shadows beneath the thorns, Swoopstrike took a seat at her side and turned to look out over the camp.

"What's up?" Frostpaw asked, settling down in a crouch beside him, tucking her paws underneath her.

"Did Sedgestar tell you the news?" Swoopstrike said, his green gaze unreadable and still fixed straight ahead.

"About the battle? Yeah," Frostpaw meowed.

"And, about today being your last day as an apprentice?" Swoopstrike asked with an impatient eye-roll.

"Oh, yeah... That too," Frostpaw amended, giving a small purr.

She fell into silence for a moment.

_Last day as an apprentice…_

Something about the way Swoopstrike said that stuck in her head. It suddenly felt so real, so imminent. She would be a full ShadowClan warrior before the next sunrise. She would finally catch the thing she had chased for so long. That she worked so hard for, more so than even her den-mates, that she had finally proven herself worthy of…

"My last day as an apprentice," Frostpaw echoed quietly, as she also stared out into camp, her mind far away from her body.

But, her attention was drawn back to the moment as she felt Swoopstrike fidgeting beside her, shifting his weight from paw to paw like he was sitting on a stinging ant pile. He was still staring out into camp, but his expression was uncomfortable and pinched. Frostpaw glanced at him, furrowing her brow at his twitching. But, before she could ask if he was okay, her mentor suddenly heaved a sigh.

"Alright. So, Snakeeyes and Dappledpelt might _actually_ flay me alive if I don't tell you this while you're still my apprentice," Swoopstrike said haltingly, looking like each word was painfully dragged out of his throat like a stinging nettle. "And, today's your last day… so, I… just— here it goes—"

"I was wrong."

Frostpaw blinked rapidly, utterly nonplussed.

"I… I don't understand," she said, almost apologetically because Swoopstrike's pained expression made him look like he'd rather pull out his own claws than elaborate.

Swoopstrike sighed again, his ears flattening. Frostpaw felt another jolt of surprise when she detected an emotion in his expression that she'd never seen on his face before— regret.

"The way I treated you as a kit, and then when you first became my apprentice," Swoopstrike said, his eyes locked straight ahead of him, as if he couldn't bear to make himself look at her. "I was wrong. I'm... sorry."

Dumbfounded, Frostpaw's jaw opened, but no sound came out. Truthfully, out of all of the things on this vast earth, the _last_ thing she _ever_ expected to come out of Swoopstrike's mouth was an apology. It shocked her so much, she didn't even know how to respond. Did she say it was okay? Did she say that she forgave him? Or, ask him if he had hit his head _really hard_ this morning?

But, she was spared from answering when Swoopstrike continued.

"You're a good cat," he said in a rough mumble. "And, a ShadowClan cat in every way that counts."

Frostpaw felt her throat close up in emotion, her chest tightening. She glanced up at him, searching Swoopstrike's face, but he still wouldn't look at her. Swoopstrike stood brusquely then.

"Get some rest. I'll see you at the battle patrol," he said, striding off.

"I— um— okay…" Frostpaw finally managed to meow.

He had already walked away.


	20. Crashing Thunder

The ShadowClan and ThunderClan patrols prowled silently through the quickly darkening forest. The sun was still setting, but the thick ThunderClan canopy blotted out most of the light, shrouding the cats in inky blackness. Frostpaw blinked her eyes, adjusting to the low light as her gaze flitting around the many cats surrounding her.

She was flanked by Swoopstrike and Autumnpaw, one of each side of her. Beeclaw, Weaseltail and Poolpaw weren't far away, only a tail length behind. Sedgestar was at the head of the patrol, Darkpelt only a step behind him in the the deputy's customary spot, and Dampfang only a step behind Darkpelt, as if he wished he was running point instead of his father. To Frostpaw's small surprise, Pinepaw wasn't hovering immediately around Dampfang, instead she was directly in front of Frostpaw, stalking between Dappledpelt and Hootflight.

The ThunderClan patrol next to them was headed by Morningstar. He had brought Acornear, Pineclaw, Beechfur, Foxbite, Nettlepelt and Hazelpaw with him. Frostpaw noted the ThunderClan patrol was about half the size of the ShadowClan one. But, Frostpaw reasoned, they did have a smaller clan, and after SkyClan's vicious attack on their camp less than a moon ago she could hardly blame Morningstar for leaving a well armed guard back at home.

Frostpaw's tail twitched. Although, more ShadowClan cats in the battle meant it was more likely that ShadowClan cats would get hurt instead of ThunderClan ones... Frostpaw gave her ears a small shake as if she could shake such dark thoughts out of her head.

Morningstar raised his tail to halt the patrols for a moment when they reached the border between ThunderClan and SkyClan territory. Frostpaw opened her mouth, drinking in the scents of the forest. Although she could tell that the border was here from the overwhelming smell of the ThunderClan and SkyClan scent markers, the forest in front of her and behind her looked exactly the same. It was nothing like the clearly defined borders of ShadowClan territory— the thunderpath separating them from ThunderClan, and the edge of the forest marking the border with WindClan.

_No wonder SkyClan and ThunderClan are always fighting over land! Their territories look identical._

Morningstar nodded, and the patrols were off again, crossing over the border. Frostpaw's paws prickled with nervousness as they slunk through SkyClan land.

Sedgestar had left all the tactics of the battle to ThunderClan. So, besides Sedgestar's normal rules about not harming elders, kits or medicine cats, the ShadowClan patrol was completely following ThunderClan's lead. Frostpaw saw the wisdom in it; if ShadowClan decided this battle's tactics, they would be disadvantaged because ThunderClan would learn how they thought about planning battles. But, it still made her nervous because the extent of ThunderClan strategy seemed to be: hit the SkyClan camp. _Hard._

Frostpaw's tail fluttered anxiously behind her. Autumnpaw's gaze flashed as he noticed, and he shot her a questioning look. She put her mouth close to his ear, making sure her words were softer than a whisper of the wind.

"I feel naked without a proper plan," she murmured. "It's like we're charging into battle blind."

Autumnpaw playfully rolled his eyes.

"StarClan, you're starting to sound just like Grovepelt!" he breathed back.

Frostpaw rolled her eyes back in response, feeling a flicker of annoyance that he wasn't taking her concerns seriously. She felt his feathery tail sweep over her side, and he shot her a look of reassurance.

 _Relax. It'll be fine,_ Autumnpaw's eyes said.

Frostpaw silently mimed an annoyed huff in response.

The ThunderClan patrol padding beside them wasn't doing anything to assuage her fears either. They walked so loudly! Compared to the ShadowClan patrol, they sounded like a horde of badgers trampling through the forest.

_How do they even manage to catch prey?! I guess with all the undergrowth in their territory to hide them, they have to worry less about being quiet?_

Frostpaw knew she wasn't the only one bothered by it. Swoopstrike was scowling and his ears kept rotating in the ThunderClanners' direction. She could tell by the dangerous glimmer in his eyes that a thousand sharp insults were swirling on the tip of this tongue. But, he wasn't able to say anything because Sedgestar and Morningstar had specified silence during the ambush.

Morningstar was navigating for both patrols now, guiding them to the SkyClan camp. Frostpaw and many other ShadowClan cats had never seen it before, but Morningstar had described it when their patrols had met at the ThunderClan camp.

One side of the camp was completely impassable because it was formed by a steep gorge wall. There was no way to enter from that direction; the cliff was too tall and too treacherous to climb down from the top. The SkyClan dens were located in cracks and caves in the cliff-face, and on the opposite side of the camp was a cliff that had long since crumbled. It was now only a wall of rubble and boulders, including one that Fennelstar apparently used to call meetings from. It would be possible to enter that way, but challenging to navigate over the rubble. By far the easiest route of entry would be the camp borders between the cliff and the rubble. Thick bramble bushes grew there, overhanging a small stream that trickled through the center of the camp. The main entry point into the camp was through a narrow tunnel in the bramble bushes, but Morningstar suspected that some cats would be able to force their way into the camp on the opposite side as well, by wading through the stream and ducking under the bushes.

The idea was that when they reached the camp, the patrols would split— the ThunderClan patrol overwhelming the camp guards and entering through the tunnel, while the ShadowClan patrol slipped in the other side.

The sound of thunder rumbled in the distance, and Frostpaw's eyes flickered upwards. In the gaps between the leaves, she could see the dark clouds of what would likely be the last thunderstorm of the warm seasons. A few moments later, the patter of rain filled the forest. Frostpaw flinched as the droplets wiggled their way from the canopy to fall down on the cats, one striking her right on the top of her head.

She shook her ears irritably. Although she had tried to get used to water during the swampy green-leaf season they had, her fall in the river had only succeeded in cemented her hatred for it. The rain began to pour down. Frostpaw noticed the ThunderClan patrol was also grimacing silently, but the rest of ShadowClan patrol seemed unbothered, water dripping easily from their pelts. Frostpaw gave a small shiver. It was just chilly enough that night for the water to feel cold.

Frostpaw raised her nose, sniffing at the air. Although the water dampened scents, she could still detect the smell of SkyClan growing stronger. Morningstar stopped the patrols for a moment and nodded at Sedgestar. Sedgestar nodded back, and he and Morningstar split off in separate directions, their cats following them. Frostpaw felt a shudder of anticipation, and she unsheathed her claws. They must be very close to the camp now.

The ShadowClan patrol came across a small stream. Sedgestar turned, following the stream until they reached the bramble barrier of the camp. Above the brambles, Frostpaw could make out the cliff in the darkness. The camp was still quiet; the only sounds that of the rain and thunder. Sedgestar flicked his tail, indicating the gap between the stream and the brambles that Morningstar had told them about, but he held the ShadowClan patrol in place, waiting.

It wasn't long before Frostpaw could hear bushes rustling and the muted sounds of wrestling as ThunderClan attacked the SkyClan camp guards.

 _"_ _ThunderClan attacking!"_ a voice yowled.

Dampfang took a pace forward, his eyes eager for battle as he went to duck under the brambles, but Sedgestar flashed his tail out in front of him, stopping him. Dampfang gazed at Sedgestar in confusion.

"Hold on. We'll wait until all the SkyClan warriors are out of their dens," Sedgestar hissed in a whisper. "They'll be fighting ThunderClan, their backs to us."

Loud yowls echoed in Frostpaw's ears. Hisses and snarls joined the chorus of rain and thunder as the battle began in earnest. Sedgestar held the ShadowClan patrol for a few more heartbeats before he surged forward, slipping into the stream like an otter and ducking under the brambles. The rest of ShadowClan followed. Frostpaw winced as she stepped into the cold water, feeling it lapping at her chest, but she felt relieved to find it was slow moving and didn't get any deeper. She forced herself forward, ducking under the bramble branches, flinching as they scraped her ears. Then she emerged on the other side.

A flash of lightning lit up the camp for a moment. A wall of SkyClan warriors were in front of her. As Sedgestar predicted, their backs were to the ShadowClan patrol. Instead, they had formed a half circle around the ThunderClan cats, who were trapped by the bramble barrier behind them.

The sound of the ShadowClan patrol's splashing in the stream was masked by the pouring rain, and Sedgestar did not utter a noise as he charged forward. ShadowClan silently followed him like ghosts in the darkness.

 _"_ _Behind you!"_ some SkyClan cat screeched.

But, the warning came too late, and the first wave of ShadowClan warriors tackled SkyClan.

Now the ShadowClan warriors didn't hold back their yowls. Sedgestar led them; as he clawed at a tabby SkyClan warrior, he threw his head back and let out an eerie, warbling battlecry that rose the fur on Frostpaw's shoulders despite the fact she knew it was coming from her own leader's mouth. Frostpaw and the rest of ShadowClan joined in, screaming haunting cries in voices that screeched high then fell low, and then went back up again.

It was a standard ShadowClan trick to seed confusion in their enemies, one that Frostpaw had learned early in her training. It should work especially well under these circumstances—with the storm obscuring vision and the rain masking scents, the cries would make SkyClan think there were many more ShadowClan warriors than there actually were.

Frostpaw felt a jolt of vindictive satisfaction as she watched it work perfectly. Panic unraveled the SkyClan defenses, the neat semi-circle they had formed fracturing as cats split and scrambled.

Frostpaw sprung at a nearby SkyClan tabby, landing smack on his back. He bucked and shook his pelt to try to dislodge her, but Frostpaw dug her claws into his fur and skin, snapping at his scruff. He reared up, giving an even more violent jerk, and Frostpaw was finally thrown off, although she took several chunks of his fur with her in her claws. Frostpaw managed to land back on her paws, mud splattering up her legs and sides. Frostpaw curled her lip back in a snarl as the tabby tom lashed his tail, pacing in front of her as he prepared to leap. But, then the ThunderClan warrior Nettlepelt pounced on him from behind, and the two went tumbling off.

Frostpaw glanced around, looking for more opponents. She spotted a shadowy figure slinking through the darkness beneath the cliffs at the edge of the camp not too far from her. Frostpaw bounded after it, growling softly, but she slowed and the growl died in her throat as she grew closer and made out the figure.

It was an old she-cat with long grey fur and white patches. She was thin and walking stiffly. Her long fur was clumped into spikes like she hadn't been grooming herself well these days, although her pelt was heavily scarred, indicating she had been a formidable warrior when she was younger. But, now her green gaze seemed confused as she looked out towards the crowd of fighting cats, her tail twitching anxiously as she paced.

_She's an elder. I can't hurt her._

Frostpaw turned aside, about to bound back into the thick of the battle, when the elder's ears twitched towards her, and her gaze snapped to Frostpaw. For a moment, her green eyes were cloudy, confused, and blank, like she didn't understand what she was looking at. But, then suddenly they cleared and sharpened, fierce anger flooding them.

 _"_ _You!"_ the elder croaked with a rusty hiss, arching her back and bristling out her fur.

Frostpaw took a quick pace back.

"I mean you no harm—" she meowed.

"Liar! You fox-hearted she-cat," the elder spat, cutting her off, pacing up to Frostpaw, her claws unsheathed.

Frostpaw took another step back, flattening her ears.

"No, really, I don't! Look, I'll leave now," she said, starting to turn aside.

"You're not going anywhere!" the elder screeched. "I won't let you take him away from me! I won't lose him!"

"I—What?" Frostpaw meowed in confusion. "Take who away?"

The elder snarled, launching herself at Frostpaw without responding. Frostpaw dodged back, but the elder moved with surprising speed despite her age and confusion. The elder pivoted, managing to claw Frostpaw's shoulders as she flashed back.

"I won't fight you!" Frostpaw growled.

The elder lunged at her again, and Frostpaw turned tail and fled. As Frostpaw bounded away she could hear the ragged breathing of the elder behind her as she pursued her.

_"Get away from her!"_

Frostpaw yelped as she was suddenly bowled over by a streak of tabby fur. Frostpaw tumbled head over tail, the familiar scent of Larchtail flooding her mouth. Larchtail ended up on top, and she pinned Frostpaw to the muddy ground with unsheathed claws, snarling.

"Of course only a heartless ShadowClan cat would try to attack an elder!" Larchtail snarled.

_Snake-dung! SkyClan cats were the ones that killed that ThunderClan elder!_

But, Frostpaw knew better than to say that out loud.

"Are you completely frog-brained!" Frostpaw spat. "I wasn't attacking her, she was trying to attack me! Look at my pelt, and look at hers. She doesn't have a scratch on her."

Larchtail narrowed her eyes, but her gaze flicked from Frostpaw to the elderly she-cat, seeing that Frostpaw was right. After Larchtail had knocked Frostpaw away, the frail grey and white she-cat seemed to have forgotten her focus on chasing Frostpaw. She had now wandered a little ways away from them, drifting more into the center of camp, where the fighting was thicker. She gazed around, her eyes clouded with confusion at the writhing cats around her. Frostpaw felt a pang of pity in her chest for the senile, old cat. The SkyClan elder would have no chance if ThunderClan warriors spotted her. She'd get herself killed! ThunderClan wanted blood and vengeance.

"Let me up, Larchtail," Frostpaw said with a growl. "She's clearly old and very confused. Instead of clawing me, we should be getting her out of the fighting before someone less honorable does attack her."

Frostpaw saw Larchtail's eyes narrow, suspicion and altruism battling for dominance in her gaze. Then she sighed sharply, scowling.

"…Fine," Larchtail growled finally, stepping off of Frostpaw.

Frostpaw got back to her paws, shaking mud off of her pelt.

"Birdstrike!" Larchtail called, turning and running up to the elder, with Frostpaw following at few steps behind.

Birdstrike turned towards the sound of her name, looking at Larchtail with the same muddled gaze that she had been gazing around at the battling cats with.

"Doepaw? What's going on?" Birdstrike meowed.

Birdstrike's eyes flickered from Larchtail over to Frostpaw, and her gaze narrowed again.

"You're back!" Birdstrike snarled, hobbling back towards Frostpaw with a growl.

Frostpaw took a step back from her, not wanting to get clawed again, but Larchtail stopped Birdstrike by draping her tail over the elder's shoulders.

"You're supposed to be sheltering in the nursery with the queens, remember!" Larchtail said to the elder, while motioning Frostpaw with her ears to lead the way back towards the cliff.

Larchtail followed Frostpaw as she guided them back towards the edge of camp, avoiding groups of fighting cats. Birdstrike looked at Larchtail, her eyes cloudy with confusion.

"The nursery?" she echoed.

Her green eyes cleared.

"My sons," Birdstrike gasped.

Frostpaw's brow furrowed. This elder seemed much too old and frail to have kits. But, then Frostpaw heard Larchtail give a soft sigh, and she realized it must be a part of her confusion again.

"Yes Birdstrike, your sons. They're waiting for you there," Larchtail said.

For a few heartbeats, it seemed like they would make it to the dens unchallenged, but then Frostpaw spotted a dark form bounding towards Larchtail and Birdstrike.

"Wait!" Frostpaw yowled, leaping in front of it without thinking.

Dampfang came to a screeching stop, his green eyes wide with surprise.

"Frostpaw!" he snarled, his gaze sliding from Frostpaw to Larchtail and Birdstrike behind her.

Birdstrike gazed at Dampfang in confusion while Larchtail bared her teeth

"Protecting SkyClan warriors?! You traitor!" Dampfang spat, looking back down at Frostpaw. "Sedgestar'll have your head for this!"

"I'm not a traitor!" Frostpaw spat furiously, her tail lashing. "Does that elder look like a threat to you?! I'm just trying to get her out of the fighting and save a helpless cat's life!"

Dampfang leaned in close to her. His hot breath hit her face, his mouth reeking of blood scent.

"That cat isn't innocent. She was once a SkyClan warrior! Who knows how much ShadowClan blood she's spilt in the past," Dampfang growled.

"She's so confused that she doesn't even know where she is," Frostpaw growled, stubbornly holding her ground. "And, Sedgestar told us not to harm elders! But, fine. Choose, Dampfang. Are you going to waste your energy murdering an elder in cold blood, or are you going to _actually help_ ShadowClan by fighting strong warriors instead?"

Dampfang bared his fangs, glaring over Frostpaw's shoulder towards Birdstrike and Larchtail again before turning his angry green gaze back to her.

"Fine. Save your precious SkyClan elder. But, Sedgestar will be hearing about this. I'll be sure of it," Dampfang snarled before turning and bounding back into the fray.

Frostpaw's stomach clenched at the threat, but she tried to shake it off, leading Larchtail and Birdstrike the rest of the way to the cliff at the edge of the camp. There Larchtail took the lead, padding briskly past Frostpaw, and heading for the caves that studded the cliff's face. Frostpaw paused at the foot of the cliff. Birdstrike still looked confused, but she followed Larchtail easily up the narrow, almost imperceptible path on the cliff-face. When they reached a small cave's entrance, a tortoiseshell queen's face popped out of the nursery to greet them.

"Thank StarClan, there you are Birdstrike! Thank you, Larchtail. I turned away for one moment, and she was gone," the queen said.

Larchtail just dipped her head, turning to leave as the queen now guided Birdstrike inside the den. Birdstrike turned back to Larchtail.

"Aren't you coming Doepelt? You and Slatewhisker's kits are due soon," Birdstrike asked.

"No Birdstrike. I'm fine," Larchtail said.

The tortoiseshell queen ushered Birdstrike the rest of the way into the den as Larchtail bounded back down the cliff trail to Frostpaw. The two stood facing each other in awkward silence for a moment.

"Birdstrike's safe now," Larchtail muttered.

"We should get back to the battle," Frostpaw said, glancing away from her. "Our clans need us."

"Yeah. Right," Larchtail said.

She turned away and bounded off, evidently not wanting to fight Frostpaw anymore. Frostpaw quickly scanned the battle, looking for her clan-mates. She spotted Autumnpaw's familiar ginger and white pelt nearby, battling a grey SkyClan warrior, and Frostpaw charged forward to help. The grey she-cat ducked Autumnpaw's leap, but she didn't recover from the duck quickly enough to dodge Frostpaw. Frostpaw recognized the cat as Suneyes as she swiped at her face, her paw connecting with Suneyes' cheek. Her head snapped to the side from the solid hit.

Suneyes stumbled, temporarily stunned, as Autumnpaw flashed a paw out, scoring his claws down her flank from behind. Suneyes recovered and flashed towards Autumnpaw for a moment, causing him to leap backwards, out of her reach, then the SkyClan warrior quickly whipped back towards Frostpaw, hissing. Autumnpaw reared up to slam his fore-paws down on her, but Frostpaw saw a large, pale paw emerge from the darkness behind him and land a powerful blow to unbalanced him, knocking Autumnpaw back to all fours.

Suneyes lunged at Frostpaw, quickly biting her fore-leg, and Frostpaw's attention snapped back to the SkyClan she-cat. Frostpaw yowled in pain, and Suneyes released her, pulling her head back like a snake. Frostpaw unleashed a series of quick swipes at her face, but her claws only brushed fur as the quick she-cat dodged back. Then a familiar voice yowled out in pain, jolting Frostpaw.

_Autumnpaw!_

Her gaze flicked away from Suneyes again, and she saw Autumnpaw bleeding in Paledusk's jaws. Frostpaw's veins ran cold as she saw Paledusk holding him by the scruff, shaking him and slamming him to the ground like a piece of prey. Autumnpaw was snarling and fighting back, clawing out huge chunks of white fur stained red with blood, from Paledusk's chest and shoulders, but the blows seemed to only make the large white cat angrier. Frostpaw saw Paledusk pin Autumnpaw, slashing long curved claws towards his stomach.

Frostpaw snarled furiously, surging forward, but suddenly Suneyes was in her way, rearing up to meet her. Frostpaw tackled her, feeling Suneyes' claws dig into her shoulders as they wrestled fiercely. Frostpaw sunk her fangs deeply into Suneyes' side, and felt a bitter jolt of satisfaction when the she-cat yowled in pain. Every hair on Frostpaw's pelt bristled with determination as she managed to pin Suneyes beneath her.

_I have to get to Autumnpaw!_

Frostpaw reared her head up as she heard a familiar battlecry. A silver and black streak tackled Paledusk, knocking him away from Autumnpaw.

_Swoopstrike!_

Paledusk growled furiously at Swoopstrike, evidently recognizing him from the battle in ThunderClan's camp, but Swoopstrike lashed out at Paledusk just as fiercely, snarling like a tiger as he clawed the SkyClan deputy's face, blood splatting through the air.

Frostpaw felt a huge surge of relief. Swoopstrike had come in the nick of time, like he always did.

Suneyes suddenly buckled under Frostpaw, sending her flying with a powerful kick. Frostpaw gasped in pain as she flew back, slamming against the muddy ground. When she stumbled back to her feet, her sides aching and her paws slipping in the mud, she had lost Autumnpaw and Swoopstrike in the dark sea of surging bodies.

Frostpaw stumbled when something furry suddenly crashed into her from behind. Frostpaw recognized Dappledpelt's scent; she had been shoved into her by a black-furred SkyClan tom. Frostpaw whirled around to face him, leaping in front of Dappledpelt as she recovered, staggering back to her paws. Frostpaw hissed, striking at the tom's face and managing to claw his cheek. He snarled furiously, lunging at her, but Dappledpelt darted around from behind Frostpaw, slashing at his side. His attention snapped to her, and Frostpaw took advantage of his distraction by swiping at his other side. She and Dappledpelt took turns for a few moments slashing and snapping at him from either side, moving too quickly for him to land a hit and driving him backwards. They weren't able to wound him significantly, but Frostpaw could see his tail drooping as he got more and more worn out.

The black tom finally let out a frustrated snarl. Frostpaw saw his gaze latch on to Dappledpelt, focusing all his attention on her. He sprung— a large and powerful leap despite his growing exhaustion, bowling Dappledpelt over and rolling her away from Frostpaw. Frostpaw flashed forward to follow them when a lightning strike lit up the SkyClan camp, and the bright light stunned her for a moment.

Frostpaw felt a jolt of shock as she saw Morningstar and Fennelstar looming over her, only a few tail-lengths away. They were both reared up on their hindpaws and brutally battling each other, blood splattering and fur flying. Both leaders looked out for blood; their lips curled back in fearsome snarls as they grappled with each other. They swiped their massive paws, every powerful, furious hit fueled by seasons of unresolved grudges.

Frostpaw stumbled away from them as crashing darkness fell over the camp again. Thunder boomed in her ears, shaking her down to her bones. She blinked hard. Shaking her head. Disorientated.

Her hearing came back, and she could scent the battling cats around her. But, she still needed her sight to return.

Frostpaw blinked rapidly, waiting for the shadows in her vision to be driven away. However, before her eyes could readjust to the darkness, another flash of lightning lit up the camp in dazzling silver. She spotted Paledusk's large white figure limping across the clearing, blood and rainwater running down his chest and shoulders, and a familiar silver and black pelt lying limply in the mud near him, half of his fur stained crimson with blood. Frostpaw's eyes widened.

"Swoopstrike," Frostpaw gasped.

The smothering, black wave of night rushed in again. Thunder roared through the forest as Frostpaw sprinted over to her mentor, guided forward only by his scent and the memory of where she had seen him lying. Her chest tightened as she reached him, bending her head to nose his limp side. The musty scent of mud mixed with the harsh tang of blood in her nostrils. A jagged wound snaked across Swoopstrike's throat, and his flanks were a mangled mess of torn flesh and blood. But, she noticed a weak, almost imperceptible, rising and falling of his sides as he continued to breathe.

_He's still alive!_

"Hang on Swoopstrike," Frostpaw muttered, putting her muzzle close to his ear. "We're going to get you back to camp. We'll get you a medicine cat."

Swoopstrike's eyes half flickered open, glinting dimly in the low light. His gaze met Frostpaw's, and she clenched her jaw, her legs suddenly trembling under her. Rain poured down his fur, gently washing away the blood that continued to flow from his neck. He seemed like he did not have the strength to raise his head, but slowly, he opened his mouth.

"Frostpaw," Swoopstrike murmured, blood dripping from his lips.

His throat convulsed as he struggled to swallow.

"I'm proud… I'm happy… happy to have had you as my apprentice," he whispered.

He blinked, but his eyes were starting to glaze over, taking on a glassy sheen. The panicked pounding of her heartbeat consumed most of Frostpaw's hearing. 

"Swoopstrike, don't—don't—don't talk like that." Frostpaw's voice quavered so much, it was difficult to speak. "I'm still your apprentice _now._ The night's not over yet, right? You're going to be fine."

Swoopstrike sighed, but his expression was peaceful—a look unfamiliar to the irritable warrior's face. Frostpaw's throat tightened as if her windpipe was in the jaws of a fox. She collapsed to the ground next to him, clinging to him with her paws like a kit.

"I still need you, Swoopstrike! Don't leave me! I'm… I'm not ready! I'm not strong enough!" Frostpaw cried, her whole body shaking.

She rasped her tongue frantically down his side in an attempt to rouse him, but he didn't say another word. A choked sob rose in Frostpaw's throat as she pressed her face into his chest. She felt a soft purr rumbling in Swoopstrike's chest as it rose and fell under her cheek as he breathed.

Once.

Twice.

Then nothing.

Frostpaw yanked her head up.

A final soft breath whispered from Swoopstrike's mouth, and the light faded from his green eyes. The purr had gone silent in his throat.

Swoopstrike was dead.

Frostpaw blinked in shock, stumbling back to her feet and jerkily stepping back.

_How can he be dead?_

Just this morning, he was his normal, grumpy self, scowling at Frostpaw for doing StarClan knows what to annoy him. And, now, in a blink of an eye, he was gone from this world.

Just like May. One night she falls asleep, her side as warm, comforting, and ever present as always. Then the next morning, she was cold and dead. Gone. How can a life be snatched away so quickly?

Frostpaw shook her head fiercely, trying to dislodge the thoughts, but to no avail; they only swirled more and more fiercely in her mind.

Frostpaw's knees gave out from under her as she fell into the mud at her mentor's side. Frostpaw crawled back over to him, burying her face into his shoulder fur again. Swoopstrike's pelt was still warm, but cooling quickly now that the heat from his beating heart had been stifled. Frostpaw felt a quiet, keening whine rise in her throat.

"Fall back, ThunderClan! We've taught them a lesson they won't forget!" Morningstar's voice yowled, jolting Frostpaw back to herself.

"ShadowClan, fall back!" Sedgestar's voice echoed right behind Morningstar's. "Fall back!"

Frostpaw jerked her head up, her brow furrowed. She stumbled to her paws, securing Swoopstrike's scruff in her jaws as gently as possible. Some part of her knew that he couldn't feel pain anymore, but she still tried to avoid his wounds. She dragged him for a few tail-lengths towards the camp's exit, her neck straining, before she had to stop.

"Help! I need help! I can't carry him alone!" she cried, trying to make sense of the flashing dark shapes around her.

A dark shape came barreling over to her, and she tensed, preparing for a fight, but she sighed in relief as she recognized Weaseltail.

"Frostpaw! What's wrong?" he gasped, searching her with his gaze.

His eyes widened as his gaze dropped from Frostpaw down to Swoopstrike, his former apprentice.

"He's dead," Frostpaw said, her voice coming out low and flat.

Grief welled in Weaseltail's eyes.

"I can carry him," he murmured.

Weaseltail dropped to the ground, nudging himself under Swoopstrike, so the silver dappled tabby lay limply across his shoulders. Weaseltail straightened again, and together he and Frostpaw hurried for the tunnel in the bramble barrier.

 _"_ _Autumnpaw!"_ Pinepaw's shrill cry cut through the darkness.

Frostpaw's head twisted in the direction of the cry, the icy grip of fear seizing her heart again.

_Autumnpaw… No… No! Not him too._

Frostpaw saw the same horror and dread she felt flood Weaseltail's face as his gaze frantically searched the indistinct cat shapes around them, trying to figure out which ones were his kits.

"You take care of Swoopstrike. Pinepaw and I together will be able to get Autumnpaw. I'll make sure he's fine," Frostpaw said, her words coming out as worried pants.

She knew that she had no way of ensuring that Autumnpaw was fine, but the alternative was too horrible to say.

Weaseltail gave a swift, tense nod. His gaze was pained, but it was clear he knew it wouldn't make sense for him to go back into the fray while he was encumbered by Swoopstrike's body.

"Be quick," he said hoarsely.

Frostpaw turned, running towards the cry. A few fox-lengths away from her, she started to make out cat shapes that she recognized. Pinepaw, Beeclaw and Poolpaw were all gathered tightly around Autumnpaw's collapsed ginger and white furred form. Frostpaw sprinted to them, her breaths frantic in her chest.

"Is he alive?" Frostpaw gasped, feeling like her heart had jumped up into her throat.

Autumnpaw was lying in a pool of blood and water, his eyes half-lidded and a long gash down his stomach. He showed no response to Frostpaw's voice.

"Yes, but he's lost a lot of blood," Beeclaw said in a grim voice.

"Take him to the ThunderClan camp."

Morningstar suddenly appeared out of the darkness, bleeding from several slashes down his sides, but still standing steadily.

"We're much closer than your camp. Fallowtuft can tend to him," Morningstar continued.

Beeclaw nodded gratefully at the ThunderClan leader.

"Poolpaw, help me carry him," he said.

Beeclaw and Poolpaw lifted Autumnpaw between them, blood still dripping from his stomach. Then the group ran out of the torn bramble barrier and into the forest.

The mad dash to the ThunderClan camp passed in a blur. Morningstar had yowled for everyone, ShadowClan included, to head back to the ThunderClan camp, and Sedgestar had yowled a confirmation. Frostpaw thought she had managed to spot some other ShadowClan warriors in the forest during their retreat, but she couldn't get a clear count on their numbers. Luckily though, it seemed like SkyClan wasn't pursuing them.

Frostpaw stuck close to Pinepaw, Poolpaw, Beeclaw and Autumnpaw. It was a bit slow going with them because Poolpaw and Beeclaw had to keep Autumnpaw propped between them, and Frostpaw found herself glancing over at Autumnpaw every few steps to make sure he was still breathing. He was, but the deep wound in his belly hadn't stopped bleeding, leaving a trickle of blood behind them.

The rain began to taper off as the heavy scent of the ThunderClan camp filled the air, and Frostpaw felt a huge surge of relief as the ground started to grow more sandy beneath her paws and slope downwards. They pushed through the gorse barrier, and almost immediately they were greeted by Fallowtuft. He had seemingly been warned of their arrival.

"Take him over here," the brown-and-white medicine cat ordered to Beeclaw and Poolpaw, pointing his muzzle at the fern tunnel that led to the medicine cat's den.

Beeclaw and Poolpaw hurried with Autumnpaw over, with Frostpaw and Pinepaw still at their heels, but Fallowtuft blocked them with a swift swish of his tail in front of them. His eyes quickly flashed over their pelts.

"Don't follow. I need space to work on him. Your injuries can wait," the medicine cat said curtly.

Fallowtuft disappeared quickly into the tunnel, and a few moments later, Poolpaw and Beeclaw were ushered back out. Poolpaw's eyes were wide with worry and his tail flicked anxiously behind him.

"Oh StarClan, please let Autumnpaw be okay," Poolpaw murmured, starting to pace.

Frostpaw padded up to him, pressing her side against his, half to comfort him, and half to comfort herself. He stilled, blinking gratefully at her for the touch. Poolpaw's gaze flickered around the ThunderClan camp, and he suddenly tensed next to Frostpaw.

"Oh no… Frostpaw…" Poolpaw whispered, wrapping his tail around her supportively.

Frostpaw didn't have to look to know that Poolpaw must have seen Swoopstrike's body. Still, she forced her gaze over, swallowing hard. The first thing she noticed was that the rest of the ShadowClan patrol had made it to the ThunderClan camp, which she felt a prick of gratitude for. They all stood in a loose group around Swoopstrike, their heads bowed with grief. Dappledpelt was tensely crouched on the ground next to Swoopstrike, her face buried in his side.

"It's okay, Poolpaw," Frostpaw murmured, her whiskers drooping. "I already knew. I was with him when he died."

Pinepaw padded over to them, her face creased with grief and concern as she gazed at Frostpaw, but she didn't say anything. Frostpaw gently stepped out from under Poolpaw's tail.

"I'm going to go over there. Let me know if you hear anything from Fallowtuft about Autumnpaw, alright?" Frostpaw meowed.

"Yeah of course," Poolpaw murmured.

Beeclaw had been heading over to the group of ShadowClan warriors too, and Frostpaw trailed behind him.

"Beeclaw," Sedgestar's voice rang out, steady and clear despite the mournful slouch to his shoulders. "Is Autumnpaw with Fallowtuft? Morningstar told me he was severely injured."

"He is, Sedgestar," Beeclaw murmured. "He has a wound across his belly. He wasn't conscious when we brought him over here. He's lost a lot of blood."

"Thank StarClan he's alive," Weaseltail gasped, emotion welling in his amber eyes.

"Do you think we will be able to take him back to camp after Fallowtuft treats him?" Sedgestar asked Beeclaw.

"I would say that's a decision left for Fallowtuft," Beeclaw said with a blink.

Morningstar and Acornear padded over to Sedgestar. Morningstar laid his tail on the ShadowClan leader's back.

"If Autumnpaw is unable to be moved, he is more than welcome to stay in ThunderClan until he's healed," Morningstar said. "We will treat him with the same care we would for one of our own apprentices."

Sedgestar dipped his head to Morningstar.

"Thank you for your generosity Morningstar," Sedgestar meowed. "I trust he is in capable paws with Fallowtuft. Although I do hope he can leave with us tonight. Autumnpaw should be among his friends and family."

Morningstar nodded.

"Of course. I understand," he said.

Acornear's gaze slid past the leaders to rest on Swoopstrike's body. Frostpaw was surprised to see the ThunderClan deputy's ears flattened. With so many harsh words exchanged between the two warriors, she didn't think Acornear would've care about his death at all.

Acornear turned to Sedgestar.

"My condolences," Acornear murmured. "ShadowClan lost a formidable warrior tonight."

Frostpaw quietly padded past the leaders and ThunderClan deputy as they continued to murmur to each other in low tones, coming to Dappledpelt's side. As she crouched next to her, Dappledpelt raised her head, her eyes dull with grief.

"Hey Frostpaw," she said, her voice rough, but she forced a bit of positivity into it. "Are you okay? No bad injuries?"

Frostpaw shook her head.

"I'm fine. Don't worry about me," she muttered.

Dappledpelt turned her head to stare back down at Swoopstrike, pain welling in her eyes. Frostpaw's heart twisted at the agony she saw in her face. Frostpaw leaned slightly against Dappledpelt's tortoiseshell side, trying to comfort her.

"I think he really loved you, you know," Frostpaw murmured. "He looked at you in a way different from how he looked at any other cat."

Dappledpelt gave a strangled bark of laughter, her ears flattening against her head.

"I know he did," she muttered, bowing her head. "I just wish… things could've been different. That I hadn't…"

Dappledpelt gave her head a sharp shake, sighing forcefully as she closed her eyes for a moment.

"I wasted so much of our time together," she muttered bitterly.

"No! I'm sure that's not true," Frostpaw protested, gazing at Dappledpelt with wide eyes.

Frostpaw felt her heart twist in dismay. She had been trying to help Dappledpelt, but now she felt like she had only made her pain worse. Dappledpelt gave Frostpaw a lingering side-long glance from the corner of her eye.

"You wouldn't know. Things that happened before you were even born. That I never apologized to him for…" Dappledpelt said finally, her voice soft. "I thought we'd have more time. That I'd make it up to him eventually."

Frostpaw shook her head stubbornly.

"I don't think they mattered to him," Frostpaw insisted. "Whatever you did or whatever happened, he's long forgiven it. You know Swoopstrike. If he was still mad at you for anything, you'd have known it. Loud and clear."

Dappledpelt sighed again as her gaze flickered back to Swoopstrike.

"I hope you're right, Frostpaw," she murmured.

Dappledpelt glanced back over at her.

"And, for the record, he loved you too," Dappledpelt said, and a small playful gleam returned to her eyes. "You know, as much as Swoopstrike's capable of loving anyone."

Although Frostpaw's chest ached like it had been pierced through with a stake, she still purred softly as she gazed down at Swoopstrike's face. The rain had washed most of the blood and mud from his fur, and someone had shut his eyes. If she didn't look at the wound in his neck, she could almost imagine he was sleeping.

"I know," Frostpaw whispered, screwing her eyes shut.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor Swoopstrike :(
> 
> Please read the comment I've left on this chapter, if you are interested in finding out Swoopstrike's and Dappledpelt's backstory/history.


	21. Then Silence

Fallowtuft had emerged from the medicine cat's den not long after Frostpaw's conversation with Dappledpelt, and he had informed ShadowClan that he had managed to stop Autumnpaw's bleeding, binding his wounds with cobwebs, and that he was sleeping now.

"Do you think we'll be able to carry him back to the ShadowClan camp tonight?" Sedgestar asked.

Fallowtuft flicked his brown tail behind him indecisively.

"I'm not sure," he admitted. "He seems strong enough to make it right now. But, it would be dire if the bleeding started again while you were carrying him, and there wasn't a medicine cat around to stop it. He can't afford to lose any more blood."

Morningstar stepped forward.

"Fallowtuft, would you be willing to join the ShadowClan patrol to help Autumnpaw until they make it back to their camp? None of our warrior's wounds are as severe, and I'm sure Pearnose would not mind patching us up while you're gone," Morningstar meowed.

"You are too generous, Morningstar," Sedgestar protested. "We could just as easily send a runner to ShadowClan to retrieve Clearstream or Elmclaw."

Morningstar shook his board head.

"Nonsense. No need for your medicine cats to run all the way here. ThunderClan is very grateful for all of ShadowClan's help. It's the least I could do," Morningstar insisted.

Fallowtuft nodded.

"That's fine with me. Let me go ask Pearnose," he said.

Sedgestar's jaw tensed, but he didn't protest again as the brown and white medicine cat turned and padded over to the elders' den. A moment later, he reemerged with Pearnose padding stiffly out behind him. Pearnose dipped her head to Morningstar.

"I would be happy to step in while Fallowtuft is gone," she said to Morningstar before raising her voice to address all the cats in the camp. "Injured clan-mates, please line up by the fern tunnel. And, _StarClan help you_ , if your cuts aren't licked clean by the time I get to you!"

Pearnose then turned, heading towards the medicine cat's den to retrieve herbs as the ThunderClan warriors meandered over to the fern tunnel. Fallowtuft turned to the ShadowClan cats.

"I'll need two warriors to carry Autumnpaw," he meowed.

Beeclaw and Poolpaw stepped forward.

"We can take him again," Poolpaw said.

Fallowtuft nodded.

"Good. Follow me. I'm going to grab some cobwebs for the trek," Fallowtuft said.

The three cats padded down the fern tunnel, and Weaseltail stepped towards Swoopstrike's body.

"I'll carry Swoopstrike," Weaseltail meowed quietly.

"I'll help you," Dappledpelt rasped, rising to her paws.

Frostpaw stepped away from Swoopstrike to give the two cats space to lift him, and a few moments later, Fallowtuft had come back out of the fern tunnel with cobwebs stuffed in his mouth, and Beeclaw and Poolpaw behind him with Autumnpaw. Frostpaw gazed at Autumnpaw. His belly was plastered with cobwebs, but at least she couldn't see the bright red gash or dripping blood any more. His eyes were shut, although his face tense, like he was having a bad dream.

Sedgestar nodded farewell to Morningstar before turning to his patrol.

"Let's go home," Sedgestar murmured.

The journey back to the ShadowClan camp was blessedly uneventful. They had to cross the thunderpath instead of taking the tunnel because Fallowtuft was with them, but it was quiet, few monsters seemed to be out tonight. Fallowtuft had them stop a few times so he could inspect Autumnpaw's cobweb bandages, reenforcing them with more cobwebs when he felt it was necessary. But, thanks to Fallowtuft's diligence, Autumnpaw didn't start bleeding again.

When the thorn barrier of the camp was in sight, Sedgestar paused, turning to Fallowtuft but motioning for the patrol to continue ahead. Sedgestar dipped his head to Fallowtuft in a sign of respect.

"Thank you Fallowtuft. Clearstream and Elmclaw will be able to take it from here. But, ShadowClan will not forget the debt we owe you," Sedgestar said.

Fallowtuft shook his head, his face kind.

"My medicine cat oath was to be a healer to all cats, not just ThunderClan ones," he said with a purr. "Although… once leaf-bare hits, I may need to ask Clearstream for some herbs. Catmint did not have a good green-leaf in our territory this year."

Sedgestar nodded.

"Speak to Clearstream, but I'm sure she would be happy to share. If there's anything more we can do for you, just let us know," Sedgestar said. "Goodbye Fallowtuft."

Fallowtuft turned aside, waving his tail in farewell.

"Goodbye," he meowed, walking back in the direction of the ThunderClan border.

Frostpaw ducked through the thorn tunnel as Sedgestar walked away from Fallowtuft and towards the camp. When Frostpaw emerged in the camp, she saw Grovepelt rushing over to greet the returning cats, his brow furrowed in concern when he took in the dark looks on everyone's faces. A moment later, a heartbreaking wail from Snakeeyes echoed through the clearing when Swoopstrike's body was carried through the thorn barrier. The white-furred queen rushed over to him from where she had been sitting in front of the nursery as Weaseltail and Dappledpelt carried his body into the center of the camp.

"Swoopstrike, no!" she gasped in anguish, her ears flat against her head and her eyes wide with distress as she gazed at him. "How could this have happened?!"

Weaseltail and Dappledpelt gently lowered Swoopstrike's body down, and Frostpaw padded over to them, her paws dragging in the mud.

"Paledusk killed him," Frostpaw said to Snakeeyes, her voice a low growl.

Weaseltail's eyes widened, and he turned to look at her.

"The SkyClan deputy? Are you sure?" he asked.

Frostpaw nodded stonily, gazing down at Swoopstrike and feeling a rush of fury through her that caused her to unsheathe her claws and dig them into the muddy ground. She felt Snakeeyes' fur brush against her side.

"He will pay for it," Snakeeyes swore, her blue and green eyes blazing as she gazed down at her brother.

Frostpaw nodded in agreement, the fury and grief she felt inside too powerful to allow her to speak. Their clan-mates were all flooding the ShadowClan clearing now, drawn out by Snakeeyes' cry and the sounds of the returning cats. Shocked murmurs and gasps of grief rose up from cats as they caught sight of Swoopstrike's body. Swoopstrike's prickly attitude may have kept him from having multitudes of close friends among his clan-mates, but none of that mattered because he was still _ShadowClan._ And, everyone was stunned and saddened by the loss of the young, powerful warrior.

Beeclaw and Poolpaw came past, carrying Autumnpaw straight to where Clearstream and Elmclaw were waiting at the mouth of the medicine cat's den, and Frostpaw heard Redclaw gasp.

"My kit!" Redclaw cried, her voice shrill. "Autumnpaw!"

Redclaw rushed over to Autumnpaw's side, trying to lick his ears as Poolpaw and Beeclaw carried him into the fern framed den under Clanrock. Elmclaw gently blocked Redclaw with his body.

"Stay outside. We will take care of him," Elmclaw said, laying his tabby striped tail over her shoulders for a moment, before turning and disappearing into the den with Clearstream, as Beeclaw and Poolpaw came back out.

Poolpaw walked over to stand at his mother's side, and Pinepaw padded up to them, a silent presence at Redclaw's other shoulder. Redclaw tore her gaze off of the dark entrance to the medicine cat's cave to rasp her tongue over both of their faces.

"Thank StarClan you both are okay," Redclaw said, her voice wavering. "And, Weaseltail? Frostpaw?"

"They're fine," Poolpaw said, his voice reassuring, as he nodded towards Frostpaw and Weaseltail by Swoopstrike in the center of the camp.

At the sound of her name, Frostpaw slowly rose to her paws, turning her gaze away from Swoopstrike, and walking over to them. She could hear the sound of Weaseltail's footsteps behind her as he came over too. Grief and shock swirled in Frostpaw's belly, her face turned downwards as she padded up to Redclaw.

"Swoopstrike too… oh, Frostpaw," Redclaw murmured.

Redclaw closed the last bit of distance between them in a few steps, leaning her body against Frostpaw's and pressing her cheek to hers. Frostpaw stood stiffly for a moment, but as Redclaw's comforting scent wreathed around her, she began to shake, and it took all of her strength not to collapse to the ground next to her and bury her face into her familiar red and black pelt to hide from this horrible, horrible reality. Redclaw gently rasped her tongue over Frostpaw's face as she had done to Poolpaw and Pinepaw.

"Shh… it's okay little one," Redclaw murmured soothingly.

Frostpaw nearly laughed. She wasn't happy, but something about her emotional fragility and Redclaw calling her "little one" when Frostpaw was bigger than her now, struck her as funny.

After a moment, Frostpaw gently pulled away from Redclaw, and Weaseltail stepped over to his mate in Frostpaw's place. His face was creased with grief, but he remained steady and supportive like a rock as Redclaw leaned heavily against his side, as she turned in an instant from a comforting figure for Frostpaw to a worried mother in need of comfort herself. Frostpaw turned to gaze back at the rest of the camp, but she kept her eyes from finding Swoopstrike's body, not wanting to feel that jolt of shock and horror over again at the sight of him dead.

Sedgestar had entered the camp, but he was still standing silently by the thorn tunnel, gazing out at his Clan with a clenched jaw. Everyone, besides Snakeeyes' and Dawntail's kits, was out in the clearing, either hunched over Swoopstrike's body, or standing a bit off to the side in small groups with shocked faces. Grovepelt padded up to Sedgestar, touching his tail-tip to their leader's flank gently.

"What happened? Did SkyClan win?" Grovepelt murmured.

Sedgestar shook his head, raising his chin to project his voice to the whole clan.

"ThunderClan and our patrol attacked SkyClan's camp as planned. SkyClan defended their camp viciously. We dealt a powerful blow to them, but Swoopstrike was killed, and Autumnpaw badly injured," Sedgestar meowed.

"For _ThunderClan's_ sake," Marshnose snarled, rising to his paws to glare accusatively at Sedgestar.

Sedgestar narrowed his eyes at the brown and white tom, but didn't reprimand him for his insolent tone.

"We have fulfilled our promise to ThunderClan, but they still owe us a debt. One day they will repay us for this. I promise you, Marshnose," Sedgestar said. "But, for now, consider our alliance with ThunderClan over. ShadowClan stands alone once more."

"And, SkyClan?" Greytail rasped, the elder stiffly standing over Swoopstrike's body.

"I will decide what comes next for them," Sedgestar meowed, his gaze darkening.

"They killed my son," Greytail growled, curling her lip back to bare yellowed fangs.

Sedgestar bowed his head to her.

"I know, Greytail. I will not forget it, and ShadowClan will not forget him," he said.

After a moment of hesitation, Greytail nodded, looking a bit placated by his words. Sedgestar's gaze swept over all the cats in front of him.

"Tonight we will take care of our own, and grieve for the loss of a good warrior," Sedgestar said.

Sedgestar padded off with Grovepelt, and cats turned away from him to return to their activities.

Poolpaw and Pinepaw settled down by the base of Clanrock, under clumps of ferns only a few tail lengths away from the lichen covered mouth of the medicine cat's cave. Poolpaw motioned Frostpaw over with his tail.

"Want to wait here with us to hear about Autumnpaw?" Poolpaw asked as she padded up to them. "I mean…"

Poolpaw shot a quick guilty glance behind her, and Frostpaw knew he was looking at Swoopstrike's body.

"I totally understand if you want to go be with Swoopstrike instead—" he meowed.

Frostpaw was already shaking her head. Her stomach twisted at the thought of looking at Swoopstrike's stiffened, still form again after all of her memories of them together were of his fierce liveliness.

"I'll sit with you guys," Frostpaw rasped.

"Okay, of course," Poolpaw said with a gentle purr.

Frostpaw crouched down on the other side of Poolpaw, and all three of them pressed closely together like they had when they were little kits, asleep in a pile in the nursery next to Redclaw.

Frostpaw felt the grief in her heart soften a bit as she lost herself in the memories for a moment. The comforting press of Autumnpaw's and Poolpaw's long fur on either side of her. And, Pinepaw, even as much as she would hiss and growl and mock Frostpaw when she was awake, Frostpaw remembered she would still occasionally wake up to find the prickly black-furred kit cuddled up to her side, her face serene as she slept with her chin on Frostpaw's back.

But, right now of course, their group was three instead of four, and Frostpaw felt Autumnpaw's absence as if someone had chopped off one of her legs. Frostpaw screwed her eyes shut, the little bit of comfort she had found in her happy memories fading as pain, grief and worry came surging back. As much as losing Swoopstrike crippled her, she wasn't sure she would survive it if she lost Autumnpaw too.

Ever since she first stepped foot in ShadowClan, he had been a constant. Her first friend. Her biggest supporter and defender. How could she go on without seeing his bright amber eyes and friendly face every day? Laughing at all his dumb jokes? Being dragged into his silly pranks with Poolpaw? And, breaking up his endless arguments with Pinepaw?

Frostpaw sighed, opening her eyes again to stare forlornly out at the camp. Redclaw was pacing anxiously a little ways away from them, the fur down her back rippling with worry, while Beeclaw and Weaseltail stood shoulder to shoulder near her. The toms wore identical mournful and concerned expressions on their faces as they also waited for news from the medicine cats.

Frostpaw carefully kept her gaze from wandering to where Swoopstrike's body lay in the center of camp. She lowered her gaze to stare down at her paws, pressing herself closer to Poolpaw's fluffy side and feeling a small amount of reassurance from the warmth his pelt provided. Poolpaw wrapped his tail around Frostpaw, and Pinepaw leaned her head against Poolpaw's shoulder, also seeking comfort in her brother's touch. Frostpaw sighed, closing her eyes for a moment and focusing on the grounding feeling of Poolpaw's warm side against hers. Her eyes flickered back open at the sound of paw-steps, and she saw Dewleaf padding up to the worried group, her brow furrowed with concern.

"Any news about Autumnpaw?" she asked in a hushed voice to Poolpaw.

Poolpaw shook his head.

"Nothing yet," he meowed.

Dewleaf gazed at the three apprentices with sympathetic eyes.

"Have any of you eaten? Do you want me to fetch you some fresh-kill?" she asked.

"I could eat something," Poolpaw said, glancing over at his sister. "Pinepaw?"

"Maybe something small. Like a mouse," Pinepaw said in a subdued voice.

Poolpaw glanced over at Frostpaw.

"Frostpaw?" he asked.

"I'm not hungry," Frostpaw mumbled, staring blankly down at the ground in front of her.

"I'll go grab two pieces of prey then," Dewleaf said. "And, let me know if any of you need anything else."

"Thanks Dewleaf," Poolpaw said, blinking gratefully at the grey she-cat.

"Of course," she said with a soft purr as she padded off towards the fresh-kill pile.

As Dewleaf padded away, a familiar, but unwelcome scent took her place. Frostpaw tensed up as she lifted her gaze from the ground to see Dampfang walking over to them. She clenched her jaw, feeling her blood already growing hot with anger.

Although Dampfang hadn't tried to bully Frostpaw too much in the past couple of moons, Frostpaw dearly hoped that he wouldn't be so frog-brained as to try to start something with her tonight. In this moment, she felt so raw and torn apart, if he so much as looked at her the wrong way, she wasn't sure if she'd be able to stop herself from doing something horribly rash… maybe even outright attacking him.

But, to Frostpaw's surprise, Dampfang's gaze was focused on Pinepaw. He didn't even spare a glance towards Frostpaw.

"Hey Pinepaw," he said in his deep voice.

Pinepaw shot him a look out of narrowed eyes, her face carefully guarded.

"I saw you fighting during the battle. You were brilliant," he meowed.

Pinepaw continued to stare at him with unresponsive silence.

"Like, I mean, the way you so easily unbalanced that ginger tom," Dampfang continued. "You'll have to show me some of those moves sometime. Your speed was unbelievable. I was…"

Frostpaw quickly stopped listening to Dampfang because as he continued on, Frostpaw noticed the guarded look on Pinepaw's face being washed away by a wave of rage, the long black fur down her back rising. Frostpaw's eyes widened in surprise at the intensity of the anger in her expression.

 _"Are you serious?!"_ Pinepaw burst out, ears pinned back to her head and fangs flashing.

Dampfang jolted at the interruption, blinked in shock and took one step back from the bristling she-cat. He gazed down at Pinepaw in bewilderment.

"Uh— what—what do you mean?" Dampfang stuttered.

Pinepaw curled her lip up in a furious sneer.

"You really think I don't see what you're doing here? Let me spell it out for you then. So, you've barely said two words to me in _moons_ because you're always too busy with 'uh, warrior stuff,'" Pinepaw spat, putting on a mocking deep voice. "But, now that I'm getting my warrior name tonight, you've decided I'm important enough for you to talk to again. And, _out of all things_ , you've decided that it's acceptable to chat about this _dumb battle_! While _my brother_ is passed out in the medicine cat's den, so injured, he won't even be awake for the ceremony!"

"I just—" Dampfang began to protest, but Pinepaw exploded to her feet, cutting him off.

"What? You _just what?_ Did you really think I wouldn't care? Or, that I wouldn't notice? Do you think _I'm stupid,_ Dampfang?" she hissed in his face, her tail lashing.

Dampfang stood there in stunned silence, his jaw clenched.

"Get lost," Pinepaw spat derisively, taking a seat again and turning her head to the side, refusing to look at him.

Dampfang glared at her for a moment longer before his gaze flickered over to Poolpaw and Frostpaw. Poolpaw had been staring at Dampfang with wide eyes, but he looked away as soon as the dark tom glanced at him, clearly not wanting to get involved. But, when Dampfang looked over at Frostpaw, she didn't look away. Instead Frostpaw raised her chin, her blue eyes steadily meeting Dampfang's green ones.

With her gaze, she dared him to challenge her too.

Dampfang's eyes narrowed. He hissed in anger, whipped around and stalked away without another word.

Pinepaw settled back down in a crouch next to her brother, and Poolpaw slowly turned to look at her, his amber eyes still wide.

"I don't want to hear about it," Pinepaw growled.

"I didn't say anything," Poolpaw responded.

Dewleaf passed Dampfang as she padded back over to them with two mice in her mouth. She dropped the prey in front of Poolpaw and Pinepaw before turning to glance after her littermate, her brow furrowed. Poolpaw eagerly took a bite of his fresh-kill, while Pinepaw just rolled the mouse between her paws.

"Woah, what's got his tail in a twist?" Dewleaf asked, taking a seat in front of Poolpaw. "I haven't seen him this upset since I told him his torn ear made him look ugly."

Poolpaw made a choking sound as he laughed while trying to swallow a chunk of meat. Frostpaw gave his side a thump with her paw, and he managed to swallow the food, shooting Frostpaw a grateful look from the corner of his eye. Dewleaf watched Poolpaw with an amused gaze, her expression softening as if she was pleased that she had managed to make him laugh.

_Dewleaf must really like Poolpaw if she can manage to look at him like that when he almost spit up half-chewed meat in front of her…_

Frostpaw shook her head, feeling a pin-prick of amusement herself, despite the dark cloud that hung over her.

"We didn't insult his appearance," Poolpaw said between bites. "But, he and Pinepaw did get into a fight."

Dewleaf's ears pricked in interest, and she glanced at Pinepaw. But, Pinepaw continued to stare silently down at the mouse in front of her, not responding.

"Ah… Well Dampfang can definitely be a frog-brain sometimes. I'm sure he'll get over it," Dewleaf meowed. "Eventually, of course."

The lichen covering the medicine cat cave rustled. Elmclaw came padding out, brushing though the ferns with herbs and cobwebs in his mouth, and everyone tensed up at once.

"How is he?" Redclaw asked, desperately searching the dark tabby's face.

Elmclaw carefully lay the herbs at his paws.

"He's stable. Fallowtuft did a good job stopping the bleeding," Elmclaw said in a deep meow. "He's in and out of consciousness right now. When he's awake, he seems disorientated, but that's probably just from the blood loss. Clearstream is monitoring him now. We will keep turns watching him through the night."

"Will he be okay?" Redclaw demanded, sinking her claws into the ground.

"If he makes it until morning, he should be," Elmclaw murmured. "As long as infection doesn't set in afterwards, of course."

Frostpaw felt a heavy weight fall into her stomach at the grim words. Poolpaw's jaw was clenched, and Pinepaw was gripping the ground underneath with her claws so hard, it looked like she was trying to keep herself from flying off of it. Weaseltail padded over to Redclaw, leaning a supportive side against his mate. Redclaw closed her eyes, taking a trembling breath.

"Autumnpaw's a fighter," Beeclaw said, setting his jaw determinedly. "He'll make it."

Redclaw nodded vigorously, her eyes opening. Her green gaze burnt like fire.

"Of course he will," she said forcefully, turning back to Elmclaw. "Can I see him?"

Elmclaw nodded, glancing around at the crowd of cats around him.

"Just one at a time though," he meowed. "I don't want to crowd Clearstream."

Redclaw nodded and padded into the den. Sedgestar strode across camp to walk up to Elmclaw.

"Autumnpaw?" was all he said.

"We're doing all we can for him," Elmclaw said. "Clearstream's with him, but I need to treat the other warriors now."

Sedgestar nodded, and Elmclaw picked the herbs and cobwebs back up, heading off to make the rounds to any injured cat.

Sedgestar glanced over at Poolpaw, Pinepaw and Frostpaw.

"We will proceed with the warriors ceremony tonight," Sedgestar said in a quiet voice. "Autumnpaw will still get his name as well."

Sedgestar inclined his head to the side.

"Frostpaw, a quick word," Sedgestar said.

Frostpaw slowly pulled herself to her feet, following Sedgestar out of earshot of the group. Her paws dragged against the ground as she padded after him. After Elmclaw's grim warning about _if_ Autumnpaw made it through the night, she felt completely drained. She didn't even have the energy left to wonder what her leader wanted to talk about. Sedgestar brought her to a more isolated corner of the camp, before turning around, and staring back into the camp's center. Frostpaw stood next to him, and she could tell from the direction of his eyes that he was gazing at Swoopstrike's body. Frostpaw still couldn't make herself look at her mentor, so she stared quietly down at her paws instead. Frostpaw jolted slightly when she felt a soft brush against her fur. She lifted her eyes to see that Sedgestar had gently touched his tail-tip to her shoulder.

"I'm sorry about Swoopstrike. I know you two were close," Sedgestar said softly, his amber gaze flicking from Swoopstrike's body to Frostpaw.

Frostpaw felt her throat close up in grief. She bowed her head again.

"He was a good mentor," she whispered to the ground.

Sedgestar nodded, and Frostpaw glanced back up at him.

"And, a good warrior," Sedgestar added. "Taken much too soon."

Sedgestar sighed, and for a moment, the smooth and collected expression he always wore as leader dropped, and Frostpaw could see deep sadness in his face as he grieved for the potential life stolen from a young warrior.

"I thought one day I might even name him my deputy," Sedgestar murmured.

Frostpaw must have looked surprised because Sedgestar continued quickly.

"Not for a while, no. Not for a long while. I'm in no rush to replace Grovepelt," Sedgestar meowed. "And, Swoopstrike would not've been ready for a while either."

Sedgestar gave his head a small, sad shake.

"Such a talented warrior. But, by StarClan, did that cat have short temper and a sharp tongue. He's always been too quick to jump to conflict and aggression, be it physical or verbal."

Sedgestar sighed again, looking back over at Swoopstrike.

"I'd hoped with enough time, I'd be able to temper him. Make him a bit more level-headed. A bit more compassionate."

Warmth flickered in Sedgestar's amber eyes when they shifted back to Frostpaw.

"I think by training you, you helped teach him that," Sedgestar murmured.

Frostpaw bowed her head, not knowing what to say. Sedgestar let out a low, sad purr.

"Forgive me. If Emberflower was here, she'd say I'm rambling on like an elder. Dwelling on 'what if's'," Sedgestar said, looking away from Frostpaw. "…That's no way to lead."

There was a heartbeat of silence before Sedgestar continued.

"There is another thing I wanted to talk to you about. Dampfang spoke to me a little while ago. Something about you protecting a SkyClan elder," Sedgestar said.

Frostpaw's eyes widened. In her grief, she had almost forgotten about that confrontation with Dampfang. Frostpaw opened her jaws to defend herself, but Sedgestar raised his tail to halt her.

"It's okay, Frostpaw. You're not in trouble," Sedgestar said. "I already had ordered that no elders were to be harmed, and you are a compassionate cat. When you saw a weak elder in need, I'm sure you were just doing what you thought was right by getting her out of the fighting. And, I also saw you fiercely fighting SkyClan warriors for us during the battle. I don't doubt your loyalty to ShadowClan."

"I'm glad," Frostpaw murmured. "Thank you Sedgestar."

Sedgestar nodded, and rose to his paws to leave.

"I will hold your warrior ceremonies soon," he said over his shoulder as he began to turn away.

Those words sparked a thought in Frostpaw's mind.

"Wait— uh, Sedgestar?" Frostpaw meowed hesitantly. "Can I ask you something?"

"You already did," he said, but when Sedgestar turned to look at her, his eyes were kind. "Yes, what is it?"

"It's about my warrior's ceremony, actually," Frostpaw murmured, looking down at her paws. "About my warrior name. I was wondering if I could make a request."

Sedgestar tilted his head at her.

"Traditionally leaders pick out the names, in conference with the warrior's friends and families if the leader wishes. But, the warriors themselves don't normally request one," Sedgestar said, his voice soft but firm.

"I know," Frostpaw insisted, lifting her eyes from her paws to look at him. "But, I've been thinking about something Snakeeyes told me a long time ago, when I was just a kit. She saw me being teased for being a rogue and for looking strange. She told me that no matter how much I tried to fit in, I'd always be seen as different, an outsider. But, if I could make my difference my strength, no one could hurt me with it anymore. She told me when she was young, she was sometimes bullied too because of her eyes. But, she asked you to name her Snakeeyes because it let her claim her difference. I was wondering if you'd let me do the same… It would mean a lot to me."

Sedgestar was gazing at Frostpaw kindly. There was maybe even a hint of pride in his eyes.

"So, what do you suggest?" Sedgestar asked.

 _"Frostmask,"_ she said, raising her chin as she steadily met his gaze.

Sedgestar started nodded slowly.

"When Snakeeyes asked me about her name, I remember thinking, that I was proud to be the leader of such a fearless warrior," Sedgestar said, giving a soft purr. "I find myself now thinking the same about you."

Frostpaw raised her tail, her eyes brightening a bit. Despite the grief that weighed her down, she couldn't help the rush of warm pride in her chest.

"Very well, Frostmask," Sedgestar said, with a nod of his head to her. "I think Swoopstrike would be proud too."

Frostpaw felt a shiver run up her spine. Sedgestar touched his tail to her shoulder again.

"One more thing," he said in a gentle voice. "Once the sky has cleared enough for us to see Silverpelt, we will hold Swoopstrike's death ceremony. If you have any goodbyes left to say to him, you should do them soon."

Frostpaw blinked, a bit confused by his words, but she nodded. Sedgestar turned and padded off. Frostpaw waited at the edge of the camp for a moment longer. Elmclaw was heading her way with herbs in his jaws, flicking his tail to call Frostpaw to him. Frostpaw padded over to the medicine cat.

"Sit," Elmclaw rumbled around the herbs in his jaws.

Frostpaw obeyed, and Elmclaw placed the herbs on the ground in front of them with a great amount of delicacy and care for such a large cat. Elmclaw then turned to Frostpaw, carefully nudging her all over with his muzzle to find all of her wounds. Frostpaw gazed down at her chest and paws, feeling a flash of embarrassment as she realized she was still splattered with mud and blood from the battle, her cuts hidden under a layer of filth.

"Lick your cuts clean," Elmclaw ordered, his deep voice firm but still gentle.

While Frostpaw cleaned her wounds, Elmclaw chewed some of the herbs he brought over into a poultice, and once she had finished, he slathered them on her cuts.

"How are you feeling?" Elmclaw asked, peering at her with serious green eyes when he was done.

"I mean, the cuts sting a little from the herbs. But, none of them are that bad…" Frostpaw began, but her voice trailed off as Elmclaw shook his head.

"I mean, emotionally," Elmclaw said, his face empathetic. "Swoopstrike's death. Autumnpaw's injuries. Do you need something to soothe you? Help you sleep tonight?"

"Oh. Uh… I'm okay…" Frostpaw muttered, her gaze flashing down at her paws.

"Alright," Elmclaw said softly. "Come find me if you need anything. Or, just need to talk. But, especially if any cuts get inflamed or start oozing in the next couple of days."

Frostpaw's gaze flickered back up to his, and she dipped her head to him.

"Thank you Elmclaw," she said, sincerely meaning the words.

Elmclaw nodded, silently picking up the herbs he had left and heading over to the next wounded cat. Frostpaw watched him go. She had always wondered the reason why such a large and powerful cat had chosen to be a healer instead of a warrior. But, after seeing the empathy on his face just now, she was finally starting to see why.

Frostpaw sighed quietly to herself as Sedgestar's strange last words began to echo in her ears again. Swoopstrike was already dead, so why did Sedgestar tell her to say her goodbyes to him now, before his death ceremony. Why did this death ceremony matter? Shouldn't he be in StarClan by now? All Clan cats went there when they died, right?

Frostpaw shook her ears.

The idea of StarClan always made her a bit uncomfortable. She believed that the leaders and medicine cats could speak to them from time to time; it had to be true, Sedgestar, Clearstream and Elmclaw wouldn't lie to them like that. Their prophecies were also held in high regard by cats of all the Clans, but, to Frostpaw, the whole concept of StarClan seemed so _unfair._ Why did the clan cats get to go somewhere when they died, but not rogues or kitty-pets? What made them so special? Did May get to go to StarClan?

Frostpaw felt a rush of cold inside her. Would she go to StarClan? Or, would they not accept her for her rogue blood?

Frostpaw gave her head a brisk shake like she could shake out the dark thoughts. She was a loyal ShadowClan apprentice, about to be a ShadowClan warrior! If that wasn't good enough for StarClan, then maybe she didn't want to spend her afterlife there anyway.

Frostpaw swallowed. But, that would mean she'd never get to see Swoopstrike again…

Frostpaw finally made her eyes look over at his body. Slowly, she padded over to him, walking to a free spot by his side. Around her, some cats crouched silently near him, others were gently grooming his fur, and some, like Dappledpelt, were even murmuring under their breath, as if they were talking to him. Frostpaw crouched down next to Swoopstrike, gazing down at his black and silver pelt, feeling the empty hole of grief ache in her chest.

_I guess… I should say my goodbyes then. Like Sedgestar said._

Frostpaw cleared her throat lightly, tilting her muzzle down to his pelt. He didn't smell like death at least. The grooming as well as the fragrant herbs the medicine cats had laid around him masked any scent of blood or decomposition.

"Uh— hey Swoopstrike," Frostpaw began, her voice a whisper. "I just wanted to say thank you for being my mentor. You did a great job at it, and I really learned a lot…"

Frostpaw's voice trailed off as her pelt warmed with embarrassment. She felt very foolish, and it felt all wrong! Firstly, she was talking to a corpse. How could he even hear what she was saying. And, secondly, and maybe even more importantly, she would _never_ talk like this to Swoopstrike, or say things like this to him when he was alive.

Frostpaw was certain that one thing that Swoopstrike absolutely didn't care about was gratitude. He never cared what other cats thought of him… how could he, with an attitude as prickly as his? When he did good things, it wasn't because he wanted thanks or praise. It was simply because he was a cat with a good heart.

Frostpaw sighed softly, closing her eyes, and an image of Swoopstrike, alive and well, formed in her mind. She saw him looking at her with a furrowed brow and his muzzle wrinkled up as if he was disgusted by her icky attempt at gratitude and a goodbye.

Frostpaw purred quietly to herself.

"Sorry. I'm not good at this," she murmured.

She saw Swoopstrike's face smooth, his whiskers twitching as a hint of amusement appeared in his green eyes. At the sight of that familiar look, she felt her heart twist in pain.

 _"I'll miss you,"_ she whispered.

Frostpaw saw Swoopstrike's expression soften. He didn't speak, but she could see in his eyes that he would miss her too.

Frostpaw blinked her eyes back open, the image of Swoopstrike in her mind evaporating like fog on a sunny day. She shivered slightly, gazing back down at Swoopstrike's body.

…Had she actually spoken to his spirit, or was it just her imagination providing her with the picture of him that she wished she would see?

Frostpaw shook her pelt like she was shaking off cold water. There was no way to tell either way. But, regardless, her heart did feel a bit more at peace.

Frostpaw rose to her paws. She spotted Redclaw a little ways away, apparently having emerged from the medicine cat's den. Frostpaw padded over to her.

"How's Autumnpaw?" she meowed.

"He was sleeping when I was in there," Redclaw said. "But, he's looking okay. Weaseltail is seeing him now"

Frostpaw nodded, trying to reassure herself with Redclaw's words.

_Autumnpaw will be alright._

Frostpaw's ears perked as quiet muttering suddenly filled the camp.

_"The clouds have parted. I can see the stars."_

_"StarClan's blessed us. Swoopstrike will be able to journey tonight."_

_"Safe passage, Swoopstrike."_

_"The light of Silverpelt guides you."_

Frostpaw turned as the three elders of the Clan walked purposefully over to stand together by Swoopstrike's head. The quiet murmuring that had filled the camp silenced as every cat turned to look at them. Mourners that had crouched next to Swoopstrike's body rose to their feet, respectfully taking a step back so that the elders were the closest cats to him.

"What's going on?" Frostpaw murmured to Redclaw.

Redclaw swiped her tail comfortingly down Frostpaw's side.

"It's Swoopstrike's death ceremony," Redclaw whispered. "It is the elder's duty to preform a death ceremony on the first night we can see the stars after someone dies."

Frostpaw cocked her head in confusion.

"Why do the stars matter?" she asked.

"The ceremony sends a cat's spirit to StarClan," Redclaw explained gently. "Without the stars visible above us, they may get lost on their way. You, Poolpaw, Pinepaw and Autumnpaw have been blessed that you've haven't had to witness a death ceremony yet."

Frostpaw's brow furrowed.

"…Except for May's death," Frostpaw mumbled, stepping away from Redclaw's touch.

Redclaw's green eyes widened.

"Of course. I'm sorry Frostpaw. I had been thinking about ShadowClan cats. I didn't mean to exclude your mother…" Redclaw murmured.

Frostpaw's ears flattened. But, she couldn't really be mad at Redclaw. May hadn't been a ShadowClan cat, after all. She had only been in the ShadowClan nursery for a few days before she died.

What _had_ been done to May after she died? The last time Frostpaw had seen her body was when she was taken out of the nursery. Had she been given a death ceremony? Probably not, given the way Redclaw had said it.

…So that answered her earlier question then. May wasn't in StarClan. She hadn't had the proper ceremony for it. Where was her spirit then? Lost somewhere? Here on Earth still? Or, just… gone?

Frostpaw was pulled out of her grim thoughts as Greytail took a step towards Swoopstrike, her gaze heavy with sadness.

"Swoopstrike," she said in a voice that was quiet, but clear, carrying all throughout the camp. "You've died a warrior's death, fulfilling your duties to the clan by giving your life for your friends and family. For this, we will be forever in your debt…"

Treefur stepped forward to her side, his cloudy grey eyes looking down at Swoopstrike.

"We release you from your vows to ShadowClan," he rasped. "Although no recompense can make up for the life you've lost, the evergreen hunting grounds of our ancestors await you."

Now Flymask padded forward to join them. He tilted his head back, his eyes searching the small slivers of stars that peeked out between the clouds.

"Journey to them now with claws sharp, eyes bright, and tail held high! Go, and receive your warrior's welcome!" Flymask yowled.

Frostpaw noticed that everyone in the camp was slowly rising to their paws.

The elders all threw their heads back, beginning the chat.

"Swoopstrike! Swoopstrike!" they yowled, shouting his name like they would for a newly named warrior.

_"Swoopstrike! Swoopstrike! Swoopstrike!"_

The clan joined in, stomping their paws to the beat, and instead of gazing down at his body, cats threw their chins up so their gazes could search the sky.

"Swoopstrike. Swoopstrike." Frostpaw murmured along with them.

She couldn't help but lift her eyes to the stars too. She almost desperately searched the tiny pin-pricks of light that she could see between the clouds, glimmering in the darkness. But, they all looked the same to her as the night before. She could not spot a new star to show that Swoopstrike had made it there.

The chanting and stomping quieted down, and now Elmclaw stepped forward.

"Swoopstrike runs with StarClan now," Elmclaw said in his deep, rumbling voice. "The body he left behind will be buried at dawn."

Cats murmured to each other, some now turning to their dens to sleep. A few, like Dappledpelt, Snakeeyes and Greytail returned to crouch back down near Swoopstrike's body. Frostpaw's ears pricked as she heard Sedgestar bounding up the Clanrock.

"Before we return to our dens for the night, please come gather beneath Clanrock for a clan-meeting," Sedgestar meowed.

Cats stopped in their progress towards the dens, turning away and padding back over into the center of camp.

"I know today has brought tragedy," Sedgestar began, his tail swishing slowly behind him as cats settled down again in the camp. "Swoopstrike will be sorely missed by all of ShadowClan. But, you all know as well as I that we must continue to move forward. The wind, the rain and the seasons have no care for our grief. And, our prey and our enemies will not lie down at our feet simply because we are sad."

Sedgestar bowed his head for a moment.

"In times like these, we need our warriors more than ever. You are the life-blood of the clan. And, I am proud to announce four more additions to our ranks tonight," Sedgestar meowed. "Pinepaw, Poolpaw, and Frostpaw, please come to the base of Clanrock."

Frostpaw swallowed. It was finally time for her ceremony. Frostpaw slowly walked over to stand at the base of Clanrock. Poolpaw and Pinepaw joined her only a moment later.

Sedgestar tilted his head back to search the stars again.

"I call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on each of these apprentices. They've trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as a warrior in their turn," Sedgestar meowed.

His gaze now flickered back down to the three apprentices in front of him.

"Pinepaw, Poolpaw, Frostpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend ShadowClan, even at the cost of your life?" he asked solemnly.

His words weighed heavily on Frostpaw's shoulders, especially after she had just seen Swoopstrike pay that price.

"I do," Frostpaw said, echoing Poolpaw's and Pinepaw's confirmations.

Sedgestar nodded somberly, accepting their vows.

"Ancestors, I ask you too to look down on Autumnpaw. He has learned the warrior code and has been wounded in the service of his Clan. Let him receive his warrior name alongside his littermates, so if he is received by StarClan tonight, he will be welcomed as a warrior," Sedgestar meowed.

Frostpaw's heart twisted at the mention of Autumnpaw's injuries, but she didn't have much time to dwell on it when Sedgestar bounded down from the Clanrock, approaching Pinepaw first.

"By the powers of StarClan, give you your warrior names. Pinepaw, from this moment you will be known as Pineshade. StarClan honors your determination and your independence," Sedgestar said, touching his muzzle to her forehead.

Pineshade licked his shoulder respectfully in response, and stepped back, her eyes shining with pride. Sedgestar turned to Poolpaw.

"Poolpaw, from this moment you will be known as Poolcloud. StarClan honors your enthusiasm and your kindness," Sedgestar meowed.

He touched his nose to Poolcloud's head, and Poolcloud too licked his shoulder. As Poolcloud stepped back, he squared his shoulders, holding his chin high. Sedgestar finally reached Frostpaw. Frostpaw dipped her head to him, waiting for him to give her her new name.

"Frostpaw, from this moment you will be known as Frostmask. StarClan honors your loyalty and your thoughtfulness," Sedgestar meowed.

Frostmask felt his muzzle brush her head, and she leaned forward, quickly rasping her tongue on his shoulder before stepping back. Frostmask raised her tail, setting her jaw and staring forward confidently. She imagined her new name resting on her, enveloping her like the hard armor that insects wore, and protecting her.

Sedgestar paused for a heartbeat before continuing.

"Autumnpaw will now be known as Autumnleap. StarClan honors his energy and his strength," Sedgestar said.

He then turned to dip his head to the newly named warriors in front of him.

"We welcome you all as full warriors of ShadowClan," Sedgestar meowed.

"Pineshade! Poolcloud! Frostmask! Autumnleap!"

The clan chanted for all of them. Frostmask raised her chin in pride, turning to sweep her gaze across her clan-mates, before her eyes rested on Swoopstrike's body. Her gaze flickered up to the stars.

_Can you see me Swoopstrike?_

"Congratulations, all of you," Redclaw said, purring despite her worry for Autumnpaw.

Weaseltail had emerged from the medicine cat's den at Sedgestar's summoning before the ceremony, and he and Redclaw padded up to them. Redclaw twined herself around each of them. Frostmask purred as she rubbed her face against Redclaw's. Weaseltail purred loudly for them as well, laying his long tail over Frostmask's back before turning to also congratulate Pineshade and Poolcloud similarly.

Once Redclaw and Weaseltail had finished, Poolcloud took a step towards Clanrock, inclining his head in the direction of the medicine cat's den.

"Come on Pineshade and Frostmask," he said. "Let's go see Autumnleap before we have to start our vigil."

"Good idea," Frostmask said.

Pineshade nodded in agreement, and they followed Poolcloud over to the lichen covered cave. Poolcloud went in first, meowing a greeting to Clearstream while Pineshade and Frostmask waited for their turn outside.

Pineshade padded a little ways away to sharpen her claws on the Oak Tree as they waited, but Frostmask didn't follow her, her gaze instead being drawn to a flicker of movement in the deep shadows of the Clanrock. Dampfang's inky black form padded out, his green gaze burning with anger as he approached Frostmask. Frostmask tensed up, digging her claws into the muddy ground.

"What do you want?" Frostmask said, growling a warning. "I'm not in a great mood, and Pineshade still isn't either. If she sees you again, she might claw you up with more than just her words this time."

Dampfang's lip curled up furiously.

"Very funny, rogue. But actually, I came here to talk to you. To tell you that you may have Sedgestar and everyone else fooled, but I know who you _really_ are," Dampfang hissed in a low voice.

Frostmask's eyes narrowed, and her tail started twitching .

"And, what is that, Dampfang?" she growled, allowing some of her fangs to flash threateningly.

Dampfang dug unsheathed claws into the muddy ground.

"You're the rotten pine," Dampfang said with a snarl.

"For obeying Sedgestar's orders to not hurt an elder? Don't be ridiculous," Frostmask scoffed.

Dampfang narrowed his harsh green eyes, his tail sweeping slowly behind him.

"It's not just that," he growled.

"Then what?" Frostmask shot back. "Because your accusations are baseless. In fact, I know what's really going on here… You're just angry about Pineshade rejecting you. And, you're displacing that anger onto me."

Dampfang spat furiously for a moment before he seemed to compose himself. He stretched himself up to his full intimidating height, looking down his muzzle at Frostmask with a disgusted look on his face, ignoring her last comment.

"You don't _belong_ here. And, you will be ShadowClan's downfall, I can sense it. But, I'll stop you," Dampfang rumbled in a low voice.

Frostmask derisively curled up her lip, about to laugh at the absurdity of his threat, but Dampfang was already padding past her, heading off.

"Watch your back, Frostmask," Dampfang hissed over his shoulder.

**End of Book 1**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little world-building background if you're interested: in my version of the clans, there are more rituals around death than there are in the canon, which is why we see a death ceremony. Perhaps the traditions seen here have since been lost through the years since the canon takes place far after this… Anyway, each clan does the death ceremony slightly differently, and it is also tailored to fit the cat that died/how they died. Like for example, unlike the other clans, ShadowClan specifically releases their dead from their vows as ShadowClan warriors. Because ShadowClan values both utter loyalty in their warriors, but also an independent spirit, when a cat's job of being loyal to their clan is completed through death, in the afterlife, their warriors are free to completely embrace the independent side of their nature, having friends/lovers in other clans or even wandering through the cosmos outside of StarClan.
> 
> But, the general idea is that words need to be said over a dead cat's body, encouraging them to go to StarClan (traditionally done by the elders, but any cat can do it in a pinch,) so that the cat's spirit can safely travel there. If there is no corpse or remains to say the words over, or if the ceremony isn't preformed, it's thought that the cat's spirit will be trapped on earth or lost forever. This adds on to the idea of why banishment is seen as such a terrible punishment— if a cat dies in exile without a death ceremony, they will never make it to StarClan.


	22. Friends?

**Book 2: Fragments of Ice**

Frostmask's ears twitched at the sounds of muttering in the den. She flattened them against her head, trying to block out the noises of the voices and drift back into sleep. But, the quiet buzzing in her ears still nagged at her, keeping her awake. Frostmask sighed, her eyes flickering open. She still wasn't used to sleeping in the noisy warriors den. There were so many cats under the large bramble bush that any time of night or day, there was bound to be someone whispering.

Frostmask raised her head from the mossy nest, yawning. Judging by the number of cats still sleeping and from how little light she could make out from den's entrance, it appeared to be before dawn.

Frostmask shook her ears irritably. She had held her vigil the previous night, then stayed up most of the day afterwards hunting. She had only finally made it to her nest early last evening, but she still wasn't caught up on sleep. And, she was _certainly not_ in the mood to be awoken before dawn by some noisy clan-mates. Frostmask glared at the culprits— Hootflight and Leafbreeze to be exact. But, they were too absorbed in their own conversation to notice the irritation Frostmask was attempting to radiate in their direction.

It was a futile task anyway, since it seemed like Frostmask was the only cat bothered by it. Even Pineshade and Poolcloud were still sleeping soundly in their nests next to hers. Frostmask sighed again, lowering her chin to rest on her paws and shutting her eyes, but fickle sleep had been scared off like a flighty rabbit.

Frostmask's eyes flickered back open again, her gaze drifting to an empty nest beside hers. It was the nest she, Pineshade, and Poolcloud had made for Autumnleap, when he was able to leave the medicine cats' den and sleep in the warriors' den.

Frostmask felt a surge of relief, not for the first time, that he had made it through the night after the battle. He had spent most of yesterday sleeping, recovering from the blood loss Clearstream said, so she had yet to have an actual conversation with him. But, just knowing that he was alive was enough.

Frostmask rose from her nest. If she couldn't sleep, the next best thing would be to go see Autumnleap before she had to start her duties for the day. Maybe he would even be able to talk to her now.

Frostmask padded out of the warriors den and walked over to the fresh-kill pile. It was still dark out, and no day-time patrols had begun, but the pile still had very choice pieces brought in from cats that had chosen to go out on night-hunts. She picked a plump vole for Autumnleap from the pile, and she carried to over to the medicine cat's den. At the den's entrance, she stuck her head through the lichen covering, meowing a quiet greeting. Clearstream was in her nest near the entrance of the dark, cozy cave, but she raised her head at Frostmask's arrival.

"Hello Frostmask. Come to see Autumnleap?" Clearstream said in a quiet voice as Frostmask padded inside.

Frostmask nodded. Autumnleap was lying in a nest at the back of the cave, away from Clearstream, but Elmclaw was nowhere to be seen in the den. Frostmask's brow furrowed.

"Where's Elmclaw?" Frostmask asked curiously.

Clearstream purred, amused by Frostmask's confusion at Elmclaw's absence.

"He went out for a hunt and to gather herbs a little while ago," Clearstream said. "We may be medicine cats, but we're still ShadowClan cats. And, the urge to be out in the darkness is just as strong for us as it is for you warriors."

Frostmask blinked, feeling a tad embarrassed that she hadn't guessed that.

"Oh, that makes sense. I didn't realize you or he did much hunting," Frostmask said.

Clearstream chuckled lightly.

"Well I don't," she meowed. "Not unless I get hungry while gathering herbs that is. But, Elmclaw was a warrior before he trained to be a medicine cat, and I think he misses the thrill of hunting quarry that moves. Plants can be a bit boring that way."

Frostmask purred, and Clearstream flicked her ears.

"Well enough about that. I know you didn't come here to chat with me," Clearstream said lightly. "You can go check on Autumnleap and leave him that vole. But, please don't wake him if he's sleeping."

Frostmask nodded.

"I won't. Thanks Clearstream," she said.

She turned and padded deeper into the den, walking over to Autumnleap's dark form in the back of the cave. Frostmask lowered the vole to place it beside his nest. His eyes were shut, and he appeared to be sleeping.

Even though that meant that Frostmask couldn't talk to him, she still felt her heart soften as she watched his flanks rise and fall as he breathed steadily. She lowered her head to lightly touch her muzzle to his forehead for a moment.

"I'm glad you're okay," she whispered as she lifted her head back up.

She turned to leave.

"…Frostpaw?" Autumnleap rasped, his eyes flicking open.

Frostmask's ears pricked, and she glanced down at him, purring quietly at the sight of her friend's amber eyes. He was gazing up at her, although he seemed too tired to lift his head from his nest.

"It's Frostmask now, remember?" she said gently, sitting down next to him.

"Right, of course," he murmured, blinking. "Clearstream told me about the ceremony at some point yesterday… it sort of felt like a dream though."

"Well you've been through a lot," she murmured.

Frostmask ran her gaze down his body, trying to see how Autumnleap was doing. His wound was still covered in cobwebs and herbs, and he winced as he slowly lifted his chin up off of the nest.

"I brought you a vole if you're hungry," Frostmask said, pushing it closer to him with a paw. "How are you doing?"

Autumnleap sniffed the food, taking a small bite, which he chewed slowly.

"I'm doing okay. Or, as best that can be expected really," he said, glancing down at the long bandage on his belly.

Frostmask nodded sympathetically.

"At least you woke up as a warrior, right? That's a silver-lining I guess," Frostmask said.

"Yeah, 'Autumnleap,'" he meowed, tilting his head at her. "I'm still not used to either of our new names."

"Well, I think it suits you," Frostmask said.

Autumnleap purred lightly.

"Maybe, but I'm definitely not in the mood to leap around right now," he joked.

Frostmask purred back in response.

"Maybe it's an aspirational name," she meowed playfully.

Autumnleap widened his eyes in mock offense.

"I just think it's a bit cruel of Sedgestar to give me a name about something that I can't even do right now. I mean, really, if I had been blinded, would he have named me Autumnsight?" Autumnleap asked.

Frostmask purred louder, her heart warming with pleasure to see him acting like his old self. She lightly flicked his shoulder with her tail, being careful not to hurt him.

"I think you're being dramatic. You'll be back to leaping around in no time," Frostmask said.

"Well, what about you?" Autumnleap asked. "What do you think of your name?"

"I like it," Frostmask said.

She shuffled her paws, suddenly feeling a bit shy.

"I, uh, asked Sedgestar for it actually," she murmured.

Autumnleap blinked gently up at her for a moment.

"It's cute," Autumnleap said, and his gaze became playful again. "Although… you don't think that it seems a little bit _on the nose?"_

Autumnleap reached a paw out in an attempt to bat her muzzle, but he was slowed down by his injury. Frostmask ducked his paw easily, groaning loudly in exasperation.

"Do you get it?" Autumnleap said, his gaze twinkling. "Because 'mask,' and your muzzle is grey—"

"Yes of course I get it!" Frostmask huffed, rolling her eyes, but still, she couldn't stop a purr from rising in her throat.

Autumnleap purred, his eyes shining as he gazed up at her, and his expression one that she somehow found both obnoxious and endearing at the same time. She playfully swatted at his ear with her paw.

"Really? You've been awake for like what, ten heartbeats? And, you're already making bad puns?" Frostmask said through a purr.

Autumnleap widened her eyes at her.

"Well I've been asleep for a whole day! That's a lot of lost time to make up," he said, purring.

"At least you'll have plenty of time to think up all those bad jokes while you're recuperating," Frostmask said, her tail flicking playfully.

"I'll be sure to save them all up for you and share them every time you visit me between warrior's duties," Autumnleap said with a smug purr.

Autumnleap swept his tail across the part of the moss nest next to him.

"Speaking of warrior's duties though… do you have somewhere to be soon, or do you want to hang out with me longer? I'd love some company while I eat this vole," he said.

Frostmask glanced back outside of the cave. She could see the sky was getting a bit brighter.

"Grovepelt will be assigning patrols soon. But, I don't think he expects me there bright and early since I spent all yesterday hunting after the vigil," Frostmask said. "So, sure. I'll hang out for a while."

Autumnleap purred happily as she took his wordless invitation and stepped into the nest beside him. Once Frostmask had settled into the soft moss, Autumnleap gently touched his tail to her side, and their gazes met.

"You asked me how I was doing, but I didn't get a chance to ask you," he meowed. "How are you doing? And, Pineshade? Poolcloud?"

"They're doing fine," Frostmask said. "They even helped me make a nest in the warriors' den for you, once you're ready to sleep there. It's right next to ours. Although Poolcloud and Dewleaf keep making doe-eyes at each other from across the camp, so I wouldn't be surprised if he moves his nest next to hers soon. I think maybe the battle was the push they needed to realize how short and precious life can be or something? I bet they'll officially get together soon. Oh! Speaking of 'romance' though, you should've seen the lashing Pineshade gave Dampfang after the battle. He was being callous and obnoxious, and she completely decimated him. You would've loved it."

"And, you?" he interrupted softly, pulling her out of speculation about her den-mates.

His amber eyes were serious as they searched hers.

"…I know about Swoopstrike," he murmured.

Frostmask's ears went flat against her head as she sighed heavily. She had managed to keep her mind from wandering to her mentor so far this morning. But, it made sense that Autumnleap wanted to talk about him. He hadn't even been there for the death ceremony, or had gotten to speak to Frostmask after the battle at all.

"I'm sorry, we don't have to talk about it if you don't want to," Autumnleap murmured, glancing away from her. "I just wanted to make sure that you're okay."

"No, no. It's okay," Frostmask murmured, looking down at her paws. "We can talk about him. It just… hurts."

"Of course," Autumnleap said, reassuringly brushing his dark ginger tail down her side again.

She shot him a grateful look. He returned the glance, but then his gaze darkened, and he gave a sad sigh, his eyes becoming downcast.

"He saved my life, you know," he muttered. "If Swoopstrike hadn't shown up when he did… Paledusk would've killed me, I'm sure of it."

A black haze of fury and grief filled Frostmask's mind, and she dug her claws into the ground, imagining instead of moss, she was sinking them into Paledusk's white pelt.

"Paledusk will pay for his death," Frostmask whispered, the words hissing out between her clenched fangs. "And, for what he did to you."

"I just…" Autumnleap began.

Autumnleap sighed, screwing his eyes shut for a moment. At his expression of anguish, Frostmask was pulled from the dark haze of anger in her mind. She peered at his troubled face in concern.

"Are you okay?" she asked quietly.

"I feel like it's my fault. Swoopstrike died saving me," Autumnleap muttered quietly, his eyes flicking back open. "I owe him my life, and I never even got to thank him for it."

Frostmask gently laid her tail on his flank.

"First of all, he wouldn't've wanted your thanks," Frostmask said quietly. "That wasn't his way. And, secondly, it's not your fault Autumnleap."

She gave a quiet, melancholy purr as she leaned over to gently nudge his shoulder with her muzzle.

"Don't take this the wrong way, but you're not that special," she said, a hint of playfulness entering into her voice. "Swoopstrike cared about everyone in ShadowClan, Paledusk could've been attacking any of our clan-mates, and Swoopstrike would've done the same thing to save them."

Autumnleap glanced at her, and Frostmask's gaze darkened.

"So, it wasn't you that got Swoopstrike killed. It was Paledusk," she said with another quiet growl.

Autumnleap gently lay one of his paws on hers.

"And, I'm sure Sedgestar won't let SkyClan get away with it so easily," he said. "Tonight's a full moon, right? He's bound to say something at the Gathering."

_The Gathering!_

Frostmask felt a cold rush surge through her. She had forgotten that it was so close to the night of the full moon. What _was_ Sedgestar's plan?

Frostmask's claws slid out.

And, if she went to the Gathering… would she see Paledusk there? …What would she do if she did?

Frostmask shook her head sharply, like she was trying to shake the dark thoughts out of her mind. She glanced back outside again. The sun had made it over the horizon and the morning was in full effect now. The camp was busy; cats were out greeting each other and bustling out on patrols.

"I forgot about the Gathering," she murmured. "I hope Sedgestar takes me."

Frostmask got to her paws, giving her pelt a brisk shake.

"I better go," Frostmask said. "I don't want to make a bad impression on Grovepelt and Sedgestar on my very first days as a warrior. Especially if I want Sedgestar to pick me for the Gathering!"

Autumnleap shot her a rueful look.

"I wish I could come. I hate that I have to spend my first sunrises as a warrior stuck in the medicine cat den. I should be out there with you, taking care of the clan!" he meowed.

Frostmask dipped her head to touch her nose to his ear briefly in farewell.

"Don't feel bad about being in the medicine cat's den! You're recovering," she meowed, pulling her head back. "I promise, I'll come visit again soon."

"You better," Autumnleap said with a purr.

Frostmask waved her tail in goodbye to him and Clearstream as she padded out of the den.

When Frostmask emerged from the medicine cat's den, she spotted Poolcloud and Pineshade grooming themselves in a pool of sunshine outside of the warriors' den. She padded over to them, purring in greeting.

"Autumnleap's awake!" she meowed as she approached them.

Poolcloud paused mid-wash, his paw still lifted to rub against his face and a tuft of long fur sticking up on the top of his head.

"That's great!" Poolcloud purred, lowering his paw. "How's he doing?"

"He still seems to be in some pain, but his mood is good," Frostmask said, sitting next to them. "He's already impatient to get out of the medicine cat's den."

Pineshade snorted, carefully finishing her grooming and lifting her head.

"Now that he's properly awake, I bet before tomorrow's sunrise, Autumnleap will already be annoying the whiskers off Elmclaw and Clearstream by begging them to allow him out of his nest," Pineshade said.

Poolcloud purred.

"I'll take that bet," Poolcloud meowed. "But, I'm placing my guess on before the Gathering patrol leaves tonight. Loser has to catch the winner the fattest piece of prey they can find."

"Deal," Pineshade said, nodding solemnly at him. "Grovepelt told us to go on a hunting patrol anyway. We can scout out the best prey spots."

Poolcloud inclined his head at Frostmask.

"Want to get in on this?" he asked. "Then the winner can have _two_ fat pieces of prey."

Frostmask purred.

"I don't think I could eat two fat pieces of prey in one sitting," Frostmask said.

"Well I can!" Poolcloud said, widening his eyes at her.

"And, then make yourself sick," Pineshade muttered, giving an eye-roll. "Remember when we were four moons old, and you tried to eat an entire squirrel by yourself? It was almost the same size as you!"

"Autumnleap dare me to, so if I hadn't tried, I'd have been dishonored by backing out of it!" Poolcloud protested, grabbing his chest with his paw in mock offense.

Pineshade snickered.

"That would've been dishonorable? Right, because you looked _so_ dignified when you spent all night vomiting," she said, her amber eyes gleaming wickedly.

Frostmask shook her head, half amused and half exasperated by their teasing.

"I'll at least join you two on your hunting patrol," Frostmask interjected, hoping to steer the conversation back on topic.

"Sounds good," Poolcloud meowed cheerily, while Pineshade nodded in agreement.

Frostmask purred. So far, she thought that one of the best parts of being a warrior was being able to pick who you got to patrol with. She'd get to spend everyday with her friends.

_And, hopefully never have to see Dampfang's dumb face on patrol again…_

Poolcloud's gaze brightened.

"And, I'll see if Dewleaf might want to join us too!" he said, springing to his paws. "I think she was still sleeping in the den."

Frostmask purred while Pineshade rolled her eyes at her brother's obvious enthusiasm to find the grey she-cat.

"Uh, Poolcloud, you might want to flatten that big piece of fur sticking up on your head first," Frostmask purred, pointing her paw at it.

"Yeah. Or, else she might mistake you for a very big, ugly hedgehog," Pineshade said sarcastically.

Poolcloud flattened the fur with a quick few swipes of his paw.

"That was a close one! Thanks guys!" he meowed cheerfully, ducking into the entrance of the warrior's den.

Pineshade glared after him as Poolcloud vanished into the warrior's den.

"Great, now we have to spend the whole patrol watching Poolcloud mooning over Dewleaf," Pineshade muttered to Frostmask.

Frostmask's brow furrowed at her bitter tone.

"I don't know… I think they're kinda cute together," Frostmask said, pushing back gently.

Pineshade just gave a huff of disagreement. Frostmask studied Pineshade's face. Her ears were back, and she was scowling irritably now, even though she had been in a good mood, making bets with Poolcloud, only moments earlier. Frostmask's tail twitched.

Why did Poolcloud and Dewleaf together bother her so much? Poolcloud had a crush on Dewleaf ever since he was a young apprentice, and Pineshade never seemed so opposed to it then.

_But, maybe it's not really about Poolcloud or Dewleaf…_

Before Frostmask could say anything else, Poolcloud and Dewleaf emerged from the den.

"Let's get going!" Poolcloud said.

* * *

The four of them padded through the forest in the direction of the marsh. It was a warm day for leaf-fall, and they were hopeful they would be able to find prey hanging out near the river bank.

Frostmask kept an eye on Pineshade as the group padded along. Frostmask was walking alongside Dewleaf and Poolcloud, but the two of them were wrapped up in their own little bubble, chatting with each other and laughing at their own inside jokes. Pineshade trailed behind the three of them, her head hung low, and her tail twitching in annoyance. Once they made it to the tall marsh grasses, Frostmask paused, clearing her throat.

"Why don't we split up to cover more ground?" she said. "Some of us can go upstream and the others downstream? If prey's not running well here today, we can meet back here in a bit and try somewhere else."

"Good idea," Dewleaf meowed, nodding in agreement.

"Great. Pineshade and I will go downstream then," Frostmask said, shooting Pineshade a look.

"Sure!" Poolcloud said. "See you guys in a bit!"

Frostmask nodded in goodbye, turning with Pineshade to head in the opposite direction as them. Pineshade seemed to perk up as they padded off, her tail lifting.

"Thanks for the save, Frostmask," Pineshade meowed. "I don't think I'd have lasted a whole hunt stuck with those love-struck doves."

Frostmask made herself purred lightly in amusement, but she also felt a pin-prick of nervousness in her paws.

She really had wanted to get Pineshade alone to talk about what was wrong with her, but cornering Pineshade about her feelings was like cornering a snake— she was quite liable to strike back at any moment.

Frostmask decided to proceed with caution.

"Dewleaf and Poolcloud together really bother you, huh?" Frostmask meowed quietly.

Pineshade snorted.

"That's an understatement," she meowed. "But, yeah. I mean, nothing against Dewleaf; she's actually pretty cool when she's not being all gross with Poolcloud."

Frostmask nodded, weaving around a thick patch of reeds.

"But, aren't you happy that Poolcloud is so happy? And, Dewleaf is too?" Frostmask said mildly, her eyes flickering over to her.

Pineshade's eyes narrowed, and she shot Frostmask a look. Frostmask tensed in preparation of a verbal lashing if she had pushed too hard, but Pineshade just let out a sharp sigh.

"Well, I guess," Pineshade muttered, kicking a pebble as they walked. "You know I care about that oaf. And, I'm also glad Dewleaf is happy, even if she's happy with my dumb brother."

"Then why does it make you so upset?" Frostmask prompted gently.

Pineshade's ears flattened, and she scowled.

"Look, I don't know. Why are you asking me these things?" Pineshade said defensively, a soft growl entering her voice.

Frostmask's ears flickered uneasily, unable to keep eye contact with her any longer.

"I don't know…" Frostmask meowed hesitantly. "I guess, I thought, it maybe actually had something to do with Dampfang…"

Pineshade froze at the sound of his name, coming to a sudden stop. Frostmask stopped walking too, wincing as she glanced over at Pineshade and took in her expression. Pineshade looked equal parts shocked and furious. She was staring at Frostmask with wide amber eyes, her black fur bristling slightly, and she was digging her claws into the peaty ground. She looked like she was a heartbeat away from launching herself at Frostmask. Frostmask shied back from her.

"Uh, please don't hit me," Frostmask meowed, already tensing in preparation.

"I'm not going to hit you," Pineshade snapped, although she was still tense and bristling like she was preparing to leap into battle.

"I— oh. You're not?" Frostmask said, blinking a bit in surprise.

Pineshade rolled her eyes, giving a frustrated growl, but she forced the fur on her back to lie flat.

"No, frog-brain," Pineshade meowed irritably. "You're my friend."

Frostmask's eyes widened, but then she felt a rush of warmth in her chest.

_She thinks I'm her friend!_

Frostmask raised her tail happily, but it began to droop again as she saw how angry Pineshade still looked.

"I'm sorry, maybe I shouldn't've brought it up…" Frostmask meowed apologetically.

Pineshade shook her head sharply.

"I'm not mad at you. I'm mad at _him,_ " Pineshade growled.

"…Dampfang?" Frostmask meowed softly.

"Yes, of course Dampfang!" Pineshade exploded, scoring her claws through the peat, before she composed herself again.

Pineshade shook her head, glaring down at the ground.

"You're right. I hate seeing Poolcloud and Dewleaf so happy together because all it does is remind me of how terrible Dampfang was to me. In the beginning, I thought he liked me too. My whole life, I've been nothing but nice and helpful to him," Pineshade growled. "But, then after he became a warrior, how does he treat me in response? By ignoring me for moons, just because he thinks I'm not as important as him because I was an apprentice."

Frostmask took a step closer to Pineshade.

"Dampfang's a fox-heart," Frostmask said. "And, I think you're _way_ more important than he is."

Pineshade glanced up at her. A rare vulnerability shown in her amber eyes.

"The way he treated you wasn't your fault," Frostmask continued gently, sitting down next to her. "You know I've never liked Dampfang since he's always been mean to me. But, the way he treated you, when you were always nice to him, proves how bad he is. He's just a rotten cat."

Pineshade shifted her weight from paw to paw uncertainly.

"I mean, he hasn't always been so terrible," she muttered. "Since I yelled at him, I've been trying to avoid him, but he's actually been being really sweet to me. It's just so confusing because I'm still really upset about everything. He was so cold and distant to me before when I was being nice to him, and now he's not… even though now I'm angry at him…"

Frostmask's brow furrowed, anger building in her chest. Dampfang didn't deserve to be back with Pineshade after being so horrible to her.

"I think you should stay away from him. He's a disgusting piece of snake-dung!" Frostmask spat, lashing her tail.

Frostmask blinked in surprise as Pineshade suddenly burst into laughter, her loud purrs ringing out through the marsh.

"Whoa! Fierce Frostmask! I don't think I've ever seen you speak about someone so harshly," Pineshade purred, playfully flicking Frostmask's side with her tail.

One of Frostmask's ears flattened lopsidedly as her pelt heated in embarrassment from her teasing, but she still gave a purr back in response.

But, as Pineshade's purrs quieted down, the black she-cat suddenly shifted uncomfortably, glancing away from Frostmask and to the ground.

"What's wrong?" Frostmask meowed, her ears pricking in concern.

Pineshade sighed quietly.

"Well, what you said… I know Dampfang was always mean to you. And, I know I used to be mean to you too," Pineshade muttered. "I was doing it partly to try to impress him…"

Frostmask's ears flicked back.

"I know," Frostmask muttered, looking away from her. "Or, I figured, at least… You started being much more nice to me, the less time you spent with him."

Pineshade swallowed, her face nervous as her tail tip twitched.

"Also, when you first showed up here, and Redclaw took you in…" Pineshade muttered, continuing. "I was also kinda afraid that you'd… replace me. You were always so much nicer than me, even when I was being horrible to you…"

Pineshade anxiously tore up the peat under her with her claws.

"I thought Redclaw liked you better than me," Pineshade confessed, her ears flattening. "That she wished you were her daughter instead of me."

Frostmask glanced over at her.

"Redclaw raised me like she raised you, but she loves you too and would never want to replace you," Frostmask meowed softly.

Pineshade gave a forced purr.

"Well I know that _now_ …" she meowed, and she glanced back over at Frostmask. "But, I'm sorry for being such dumb, frog-brained kit before. And, I understand if you still hate me a bit because of it…"

Frostmask paused, hesitantly moving her tail over to touch Pineshade's side with it.

"It's okay," she murmured, looking down at the ground. "I'm not mad. The truth is, I used to be so lonely in ShadowClan that all I wanted was some friends. I never hated you. Even when you were being mean to me, all I wanted was for you to like me…"

Frostmask felt Pineshade's eyes on her, and she lifted her gaze back from the ground to meet hers.

"Why don't we put that all behind us now and just start over?" Frostmask meowed, her blue gaze searching Pineshade's amber one. "As friends?"

Pineshade's ears perked up, her eyes brightening with happiness and relief. She nodded hard.

"Yeah. Friends," she agreed with a purr.

* * *

It was evening by the time that Frostmask, Pineshade, Poolcloud and Dewleaf made it back to the camp, each of them loaded down with prey. After hunting separately in the marsh for a while, the four of them had met back up and headed into the pine forest to hunt together. Frostmask had noticed Pineshade seemed a bit less irritated with Poolcloud and Dewleaf when they rejoined them.

As they dropped of their prey, Frostmask noticed that a lot of cats were milling about the camp.

"It looks like Sedgestar's going to announce who's attending the Gathering soon," Poolcloud meowed, following her gaze.

"I'm starving," Dewleaf meowed. "Let's get something to eat while we wait for him."

The four of them each grabbed a piece of prey and headed over to the crowd to sit together and chat and eat. It wasn't long until Sedgestar bounded up the Clanrock.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather under Clanrock for a clan meeting," Sedgestar meowed.

The few cats that remained in their dens came padding out, and quiet fell over the camp as everyone turned to look up at their leader.

"First, I would like to announce what warriors and apprentices will be joining us at the Gathering tonight," Sedgestar said. "Emberflower, Darkpelt, Fogfur, Dappledpelt, Leafbreeze, Dustleap, Hootflight, Thornheart, Dewleaf, Frostmask, Mosspaw and Murmurpaw."

"Aw, no fair," Poolcloud whispered when his name wasn't called.

Dewleaf gave him a light shove.

"Frostmask and I are going to have so much fun without you," she said teasingly.

But, Frostmask didn't feel excited, instead a chill ran through her.

She would get to see Paledusk tonight. Frostmask narrowed her eyes, just able to keep her claws from curling out.

Sedgestar hadn't yet finished his announcements though, and he sat with his tail wrapped around his paws from his perch on Clanrock, looking very cool and collected.

"I know many of you must be wondering what I plan to say at the Gathering, following the death of Swoopstrike and the battle of the SkyClan camp," Sedgestar said measuredly. "After much consideration and deliberation with Grovepelt I have decided to refrain from declaring war on SkyClan… At least for now."

Sedgestar paused, clearly anticipating the few yowls of protest that rang out through the camp following his words. Frostmask, however, just glared up at him in silence, her jaw clenched.

_So there will be no justice for Swoopstrike's murder?! Paledusk deserves to pay for what he did!_

Frostmask glanced around the camp to study the other warriors' faces, trying to take stock of their feelings on the matter. She noticed Dampfang was on his feet, one of the cats who had yowled out in protest.

_This is the one time in my life when I actually agree with him…_

Sedgestar sat there silently, his face expressionless like a statue as he waited for the protests to quiet.

"Let me continue," he meowed after the last of the yowls died out. "We all know that these battles we've been fighting against SkyClan have been for ThunderClan's war. Not for ours."

"Then ThunderClan should pay!" Marshnose snarled, loudly interrupting the leader.

"ThunderClan _has_ ," Sedgestar said, his amber eyes flashing in a hint of anger at the interruption before he collected himself again. "ThunderClan owes us a debt that they _will_ pay us back for."

"How do you know that," Marshnose grumbled, much quieter this time but still looking a bit mutinous. "I don't trust those mice-munchers."

Sedgestar inclined his head at him.

"You don't have to trust them. Trust me when I'm telling you that they will give us our due when we need it," Sedgestar said, before lifting his gaze from Marshnose to address the whole clan again. "It was a horrible tragedy that Swoopstrike lost his life in one of these battles. But, more lives will surely be lost if we wage a war of vengeance against SkyClan. I will wait to read Fennelstar's actions and words at the Gathering, because if he is aggressive towards us then we will have no choice but to fight back. However, I do not anticipate declaring a war tonight."

There were no protests to this, although some warriors still glared up at Sedgestar stonily. Sedgestar slowly nodded his head as he took in their expressions.

"I understand that many of you are angry at SkyClan and want justice for Swoopstrike's death. I do too. But, I don't think a war would be the right thing move for us at this moment," Sedgestar said, pausing for a heartbeat before he flattened his ears in a somewhat roguish expression. "However… that doesn't mean that we can't get some revenge in a different way."

Frostmask blinked, a wave of curiosity washing over her. What could Sedgestar mean? The rest of the clan seemed to almost eagerly lean forward towards their leader, looking equally as intrigued.

Sedgestar unwrapped his tail from around his paws to flick it behind him.

"I am allowing indefinite use of the thunderpath tunnel beneath ThunderClan territory as a means to get into SkyClan territory," Sedgestar announced, lifting his chin. "Patrols may go there to hunt on SkyClan land. It is up to any cat's discretion to choose to hunt there, although you must clear it with me or Grovepelt first before departing."

Frostmask felt a shiver of anticipation run up her spine. Was Sedgestar really allowing them to hunt on another Clan's territory?! Frostmask dug her claws into the ground, feeling a swirling mixture of trepidation and excitement.

"A few rules," Sedgestar said, continuing. "I will only allow hunts under the cover of darkness. If you are not back by dawn, I will assume you have been injured or captured and respond accordingly. So, don't be late. No solo hunts; you must go in patrols of three warriors or more in case you run into trouble. And, speaking of running into trouble, these are _hunting missions,_ not battle patrols. You are absolutely _not_ to seek out and engage any SkyClan warriors that you come across. Or, ThunderClan for that matter. Spend as little time as possible in ThunderClan territory. After you emerge from the tunnel, head from there to Fourtrees, then turn into SkyClan land. Do not hunt on ThunderClan land. And, try not to be seen by anyone, ThunderClan, SkyClan, or otherwise. It goes without saying to disguise your scents. Be like ghosts in the night."

As soon as Sedgestar finished, eager snarls of support echoed through the camp. Sedgestar reclined a bit, his expression pleased as he watched his warriors gaze up at him with bright eyes and pelts that bristled in excitement.

"SkyClan will not bleed from our claws this time, but they will still feel the sting of our revenge in their empty bellies," Sedgestar said coolly before flicking his tail to indicate dismissal from the meeting and bounding down from the Clanrock.


	23. Family Secrets

Frostmask padded through the forest, the only noise the soft sound of paw-steps on the pine needle covered floor. Their patrol mutely walked in single file on their way to the Gathering, and for the first time since her warrior's vigil, Frostmask was left alone with just her thoughts, which just happened to be the _exact_ situation that she'd rather avoid. Without external distractions, she couldn't stop her mind from turning to darker emotions, to thoughts about pain and grief.

Frostmask took a deep, slow breath.

Although the day had brought happiness when Autumnleap had woken up and when she got to spend some relaxing time with Pineshade and Poolcloud, she still felt the loss of Swoopstrike like a heavy boulder pressing down on her back. She felt like she was drowning in the river again, struggling to swim up, but too tired and weighed down to reach the surface.

And, this time there was no Swoopstrike to pull her to safety and save her.

Because he was dead.

Frostmask clenched her jaw, biting the inside of her cheek. She felt a sting of pain, but it was almost relieving. It was a distraction, and physical pain hurt much less than the pain she felt inside.

Although, Frostmask was grateful that she at least had a burning purpose to focus on through the internal pain. It was something that she could harness the pain to drive herself towards, instead of just staying trapped by it, drowning in the mire… She could focus on hurting Paledusk.

Frostmask's claws slid out as she walked. She would raid as much prey from SkyClan land as she could. Paledusk took Swoopstrike from her, and she would make him pay for it. So, he'd hurt like she was.

Frostmask felt a shudder go down her spine. It felt good to have that focus. It made the pain feel a bit less meaningless, like she was doing something to help it.

But, there was still a black pit in her heart which no amount of vengeance could fill, because no matter how much she managed to hurt Paledusk, to make him suffer, deep down she knew that the task was hollow. It could never accomplish want she truly wanted— to have Swoopstrike back. Nothing could.

Frostmask blinked, pulled out of her thoughts as Sedgestar halted the patrol with a flick of his tail. They were now standing on the crest of the hill that led down into the Fourtrees' hollow. Their orderly line broke ranks as cats grouped around Sedgestar to peer down at the dark, flickering forms of the already gathered cats. Frostmask padded forward to the crest, opening her jaws to drink in the cool night air. She could scent WindClan and SkyClan on the breeze. ThunderClan and RiverClan seemed to have not yet arrived.

Sedgestar nodded, and the ShadowClan patrol streamed forward, bounding down the hill. The group brushed through the bushes surrounding the clearing, but the ShadowClan patrol lingered by the edge of the hollow for a moment. No one seemed particularly eager to join WindClan, and _especially_ not SkyClan.

Frostmask felt like every hair on her pelt stood on end in anticipation as she gazed tensely around at the groups of cats. She was searching for a white pelt, something she both did and didn't want to find. But, Frostmask couldn't spot Paledusk's form anywhere in the crowd.

Frostmask gave her head a small shake. Perhaps it was for the best. She probably shouldn't be looking to pick fights at a Gathering anyway.

The rest of the ShadowClan patrol seemed to decided that they would mingle, at least a bit, so they slowly padded into the crowd. Frostmask's gaze flickered over to a small group of young WindClan warriors, and she began to walk in their direction.

"You're back!" a familiar, rasping voice hissed through the crowd.

Frostmask's eyes widened in surprise, and she turned to see the grey and white SkyClan elder stalking over to her, her clumpy fur bristling.

 _Birdstrike,_ Frostmask thought, remembering her name.

"Hello," Frostmask muttered, dipping her head to her. "Birdstrike, right? How are you doing? I hope you weren't injured in the battle."

"What are you doing here?" Birdstrike growled, lashing her tail as she ignored Frostmask's questions.

Frostmask inclined her head at her in confusion.

"Uh, it's a Gathering," she meowed.

"Gatherings are for clan-cats," Birdstrike spat. "Not for cats like you. Get out of here."

Frostmask felt the fur down her back raise in anger. How did Birdstrike know she wasn't clan-born? She was a senile elder, wasn't she? Or, was she not as confused as she seemed?

"I'm a ShadowClan cat," Frostmask said, a soft growl in her voice.

Birdstrike laughed harshly.

"Oh yeah? And, I'm a mouse," Birdstrike spat, narrowing her eyes at Frostmask.

The elder stalked closer to Frostmask, her back hunching as her posture became more threatening.

"Stay out of SkyClan territory, you loner scum," Birdstrike growled, her eyes growing foggy as if she was losing herself in her mind. "You're here for him, aren't you?!"

"I'm not," Frostmask said quickly, trying to calm the elder as she stepped away from her.

It was just like she had said to Frostmask during the battle. But, what would Frostmask do if Birdstrike launched herself at her, like she had done then? She was an old elder, so Frostmask wouldn't fight back. But, it was still a Gathering; would StarClan be angered by Birdstrike pouncing at her?

"I won't let you take him," Birdstrike screeched, her foggy eyes wild. "You won't have my son!"

_"Birdstrike!"_

The elder jolted as Paledusk's clear, loud voice broke through the sounds of chatting cats all around her.

"Step away from her," Paledusk growled.

The SkyClan deputy stalked over to Frostmask and the SkyClan elder, glowering at Frostmask the whole while. Frostmask felt a rush of ice-cold adrenaline through her body as her muscles tensed. She raised her chin, meeting Paledusk's gaze evenly and not caring that her lip curled up in a snarl of fury and disgust at the sight of him. She dug her claws into the ground, clumping mud under her feet.

A new wound had been added to Paledusk's face— a red line that started on his forehead, swept diagonally downwards, narrowly missing the inner corner of his left eye and ending at his nose. It looked like someone had tried to claw out his eyes and just missed.

Frostmask felt a spiteful jolt of satisfaction at the sight. She hoped that it was Swoopstrike who left that deep wound on his face. And, she hoped it would scar like the crescent mark on his cheek, so as long as he lived, Paledusk would carry with him the memory of Swoopstrike's claws forever.

Frostmask's tail began to lash as Paledusk's green gaze continued to bore into her own. A growl started to rumble louder, and louder, in her throat.

Suddenly Paledusk's gaze broke from hers, and he turned to nudge Birdstrike roughly away, ignoring Frostmask.

"Come on, Birdstrike," Paledusk growled.

"What's going on? Stop shoving me," Birdstrike hissed, raking Paledusk with a suspicious gaze and planting her feet firmly to the ground.

She clearly wasn't going to be peacefully led away. Paledusk made an impatient noise in his throat somewhere between a growl and a sigh.

"It's me," Paledusk said.

Birdstrike blinked, squinting in confusion.

Frostmask's brow furrowed. So, Birdstrike was still confused; she didn't even recognize her own deputy. Then how did she know about Frostmask's non-clan heritage?

"…Icerunner?" Birdstrike meowed hesitantly.

Paledusk huffed in annoyance.

"No. Paledusk. Your son, Paledusk," Paledusk growled.

Frostmask felt a jolt surge through her, her ears pricking in surprise.

_Paledusk is Birdstrike's son? He's the cat she's been talking about?!_

"Of course. Paledusk," Birdstrike snapped. "I know you're Paledusk. Stop talking to me as if I wouldn't recognize my own son."

"Good," Paledusk rumbled. "Come with me."

Birdstrike now allowed Paledusk to guide her a few steps away.

"Where's Slatewhisker?" Birdstrike meowed. "I haven't seen him anywhere."

"Slatewhisker's gone, Birdstrike," Paledusk growled.

Birdstrike came back to a sudden stop, having only allowed Paledusk to move her a few tail lengths from Frostmask.

"Gone? What do you mean gone?" she said, her voice increasing in volume to become a panicked screech at the end.

 _"Shh!"_ Paledusk hissed at her, lashing his tail as he noticed that Birdstrike had attracted curious glances from neighboring cats.

"What I mean is that he's waiting for us back at camp," Paledusk rumbled, the impatience leaving his voice to suddenly become low and soothing. "He wasn't picked to come to the Gathering, remember?"

"Oh." Birdstrike relaxed, her gaze growing cloudy. "That's right."

"Right," Paledusk agreed, going back to guiding her away.

They vanished into the crowd, leaving Frostmask stared intently after them. Her fur still stood on end and all her muscles were tense.

Thoughts in Frostmask's mind were spinning around like strands of spiderwebs, colliding, tangling, knotting up. But, Frostmask couldn't quite see the pattern of the web yet. There were pieces still missing, and they prevented her from putting together the whole picture. But, she was _so_ close. It was like a scent on the breeze that she couldn't quite catch.

Frostmask dug her claws into the ground, her brow furrowed in concentration.

It was all so strange. Birdstrike recognized Frostmask and knew she wasn't clan-born. But, Birdstrike _couldn't_ know Frostmask, not really. It was impossible. Maybe she had heard from her clan-mates that Frostmask had been adopted into ShadowClan, but she had never met her before the battle. And, yet, Birdstrike spoke to her as if Frostmask was someone she met before and despised.

But… what if Birdstrike _didn't_ know Frostmask, and instead she thought she was someone else? Birdstrike hadn't recognized Larchtail during the battle, or Paledusk just now either. She had called them both other cat's names— Doepelt for Larchtail, and Icerunner for Paledusk.

Frostmask's chest tensed up.

Paledusk had known May… could his mother had known her too? What if… Birdstrike thought Frostmask _was_ May?

A rush surged through her as she kneaded her claws impatiently into the ground. The feeling of certainty was growing bigger inside her.

Yes. Yes, that must be it. Birdstrike _knew_ things about May; Frostmask could feel it in her bones. Maybe this elder was the key; Frostmask's way of finding out of the truth about her mother. How May knew about the Clans. Why May chose to bring her to ShadowClan out of everywhere else. How Paledusk knew May…

Frostmask gave her head a shake.

But, the answers were hidden deep inside of the elder's clouded mind, and the poor she-cat already seemed like she barely knew where she was half the time.

Frostmask's eyes narrowed.

Also, now that Paledusk had seen Frostmask and Birdstrike together, he'd surely be watching his mother like a hawk.

When Frostmask had last asked Paledusk how he knew May, he had been so defensive. And, now he snatched Birdstrike away from Frostmask so quickly, once he saw them talking… It seemed clear that whatever Birdstrike knew, he didn't want anyone, especially Frostmask, to find out.

_If I even wanted to talk to Birdstrike tonight, would I be able to get her away from him?_

Frostmask's ears twitched. Maybe it would be best to wait for a better time. But, on the other paw, Birdstrike was old and frail… If Frostmask wanted to ask her anything, this Gathering may be her only opportunity. Who knew if Frostmask would be able to ever speak to her again?

_I can't lose this chance._

Mind made up, Frostmask rose to her paws, and slipped into the crowd after Birdstrike and Paledusk.

RiverClan and ThunderClan had just arrived, and now the clearing was very crowded with bodies. Weaving around groups of chatting cats, Frostmask spotted Paledusk off to the edge of the clearing, near the group of medicine cats. She could see Paledusk by a blue-grey she-cat; SkyClan's medicine cat, Swallowfur, while Birdstrike sat a few tail-lengths away, staring blankly out into the crowd. Frostmask noticed Swallowfur scowling at Paledusk, while the SkyClan deputy's mouth moved. But, Frostmask was too far away to hear what he was saying. Frostmask padded closer, sticking to the crowd to try to remain unseen by him, and Paledusk's voice drifted into her ears.

"…hardly knows where she is, or what she's saying," Paledusk was meowing in a low voice to Swallowfur. "I think this is the last Gathering she should attend."

"Why?" Swallowfur protested. "Her mind may be deteriorating, but her body still works fine. She's able to make the trek here no problem. I think the change in scenery is good for her. She gets to see and speak to elders from other clans that she recognizes from her youth. Everyone from her generation in our clan has passed on. How would you feel if your life was only sitting in a cave all by yourself all day, watching cats you hardly remember walk pass your den?"

"Birdstrike's become a liability," Paledusk growled.

 _"A liability?"_ Swallowfur repeated incredulously with a harsh laugh. "Dear StarClan, you talk about her as if she's a mad dog, not a retired, respected SkyClan warrior! And, your mother no less!"

Paledusk gave another frustrated growl.

"I don't have time for this right now. Keep an eye on her, and we'll talk about this later," he snapped, turning his back on Swallowfur.

He started heading towards the Great Rock to take his position as a deputy at its base. Frostmask's gaze flickered back to Birdstrike to see Swallowfur had risen to her paws as well, and she was now gently guiding Birdstrike over to a group of elders, murmuring to the elder as they walked. Frostmask felt anticipation rush over her.

_Now's my chance to talk to Birdstrike before the Gathering starts!_

"Hey."

Frostmask jolted suddenly at the voice. Larchtail padded up to her slowly, her steps hesitant, and her expression shy.

_Snake-dung!_

Frostmask shot another quick glance after Birdstrike. She'd have to get rid of Larchtail in order to talk to Birdstrike, but how?

But, before she could say anything, Larchtail's gaze flicked from Frostmask to Birdstrike, tracing the path of Frostmask's gaze.

"Birdstrike's doing fine… Thanks to you," Larchtail mumbled before looking down at her paws. "I know the relationship between our Clans isn't the best right now. But, I wanted to thank you still. Helping me and also standing up to your clan-mate… You didn't have to do that."

Frostmask gaze flickered back over to Larchtail. Her stomach swirled with indecision and distrust. Larchtail had always been kind to her at Gatherings when they were both apprentices, but after the battle in the ThunderClan camp, Frostmask expected only hostility from her from there on out. However… it seemed like she had won back some affection from the SkyClan warrior by helping her with Birdstrike. Frostmask wanted to believe that Larchtail's words were genuine, but she couldn't forget that she was also in the same Clan as Paledusk…

Slowly, Frostmask's tail began to swish thoughtfully. But, if Larchtail _was_ being genuine, maybe she could help her. Maybe Larchtail knew information about Birdstrike that she could tell Frostmask.

After a beat of silence in which Frostmask said nothing, Larchtail continued.

"Did you get in trouble for it?" Larchtail said, her gaze flicking back up to Frostmask's.

Frostmask shook her head, finally acknowledging her.

"No. Sedgestar means it when he says don't attack elders," she said in a low voice. "And, uh— I'm Frostmask now, by the way."

Larchtail nodded, and Frostmask noticed that a bit of relief seemed to spark in the she-cat's eyes that Frostmask was willing to have a conversation with her.

"Frostmask, for your fur pattern. I like it," she said, with a soft purr.

Frostmask's tail-tip twitched as she hesitated. She knew she'd have to tread carefully to make sure she didn't shatter the fragile alliance hanging between them.

Frostmask took a seat next to the tabby, studying Larchtail's expression for any sign that she was going to overstep with her next few questions.

"…I was curious, though, about Birdstrike," Frostmask began hesitantly. "During the battle, she seemed to think that I was someone else… I just thought that was strange."

Larchtail gave a small sigh, shooting a sad glance over her shoulder, back at the elder.

"Yeah. Birdstrike's mind's not all there anymore. She regularly calls me 'Doepelt,'" Larchtail said. "That's my mother, by the way. We look similar. You probably resemble someone she once knew seasons ago."

Frostmask nodded, her heart hammering as she felt cold rush through her, but she kept her expression neutral. Even though she suspected as much, it was still powerful to hear Larchtail confirm it.

"Oh okay. There was this other really weird thing she said to me," Frostmask said, trying to keep her tone as causal as possible. "She was saying that she wasn't going to have her son taken from her. That she couldn't lose him."

Larchtail's expression became even more regretful.

"Oh, yeah… Slatewhisker," Larchtail said.

Frostmask blinked hard in surprise before her brow furrowed. She was suddenly off balance.

… _Slatewhisker?_ _Not Paledusk? Who in StarClan's name is Slatewhisker?_

Larchtail seemed to notice the confusion of Frostmask's face, and she continued.

"Slatewhisker was one of Birdstrike's kits. And, my father actually," Larchtail muttered bitterly, glancing away from Frostmask for a moment. "But, I never met him. He disappeared from SkyClan territory a couple of moons before I was born. No blood, no body. Just a scent-trail that led over the border, and he was gone. He and his brother, Paledusk, had been inseparable their whole lives up until that point, so Paledusk left SkyClan territory to look for him. But, Paledusk returned to the Clan alone."

Frostmask's ears pricked with interest, and she leaned in closer to Larchtail.

"Any idea what happened to him?" Frostmask asked, searching her face.

She saw a guarded look flash in Larchtail's eyes, but only for a moment.

"I guess there's no harm in telling you," she said with a forced purr. "It's seasons old gossip by now anyway. So, I told you all the facts already. The rest is just hearsay. You know how SkyClan borders the two-leg place?"

Frostmask nodded. Although she had never seen it for herself, it was something everyone learned during training. Two-legs were dangerous, and all apprentices were warned to stay away from them.

"Well that means that we get a lot more stranger cats in our territory than any of the other clans," Larchtail continued. "Rogues, loners, and even the occasional brave kitty-pet, all coming from the two-leg place and across the scent markers into SkyClan land."

Frostmask's brow furrowed. It was an odd thought. The only cats she's seen her clan-mates ever worry about coming into ShadowClan territory were cats from other Clans.

_I guess, besides me… and May._

"They aren't usually a problem," Larchtail said. "Our patrols can chase them off with ease. But, after Slatewhisker disappeared, these rumors started circulating in the Clan that some warriors had seen him having secret meetings with stranger cats at the two-leg place border. Becoming friends with them. Talking even with kitty-pets."

Larchtail crinkled her nose slightly.

"I think Paledusk went after Slatewhisker half because he missed him. And, half because he wanted to clear his family's tainted name."

Larchtail shook her head.

"Well, whether Slatewhisker ran off to be a kitty-pet or not, the end result was still the same. Paledusk came back empty-pawed, claiming that his brother was dead. And, Birdstrike was never the same. She retired to the elder's den soon after. She spent a lot of time with me and my littermates when I was a kit, and she was still pretty sharp mentally then. But, once I became an apprentice, that was around the time when she started getting more and more confused," Larchtail said with a sigh.

"Huh. That's sad," Frostmask muttered, her exterior calm while on the inside her mind reeled from all the information Larchtail told her.

…It finally all made sense! Paledusk must have met May in the two-leg place while searching for his brother. But, he's ashamed of Slatewhisker, which was why he'd been so cagey about speaking to Frostmask about the situation.

Maybe May even knew Slatewhisker. Could she have been one of the cats that he had been rumored to have been meeting at the edge of SkyClan territory? Was that why Birdstrike seemed to blame May for taking her son away? And, why Paledusk seemed so aggressive towards Frostmask? Was that how May knew about the clans, and why she ultimately ended up bringing Frostmask to ShadowClan when she was unable to care for her—

Larchtail sighed, pulling Frostmask back out of her whirling thoughts.

"The worst part about Slatewhisker is just not knowing," Larchtail muttered, seemingly half to herself as she continued. "I mean, I can't really miss him since I never knew him. But, I'd like to know what happened. Was he really a traitor that ran away from SkyClan? Is he still alive? Or, is Paledusk right, and he's gone because he died somewhere out there? I guess I'll never know. If he is dead, he surely never had the proper death ceremony, so I won't even get to ask him in StarClan."

Frostmask slowly nodded along. Almost against her better judgement, she felt a twinge of empathy growing in her chest towards Larchtail. Now that she knew that Slatewhisker and May were somehow connected, she couldn't help but feel connected to Larchtail too. Really, their situations weren't all that different even. There would always be questions about May that Frostmask couldn't answer, just like Larchtail would always have questions about Slatewhisker…

At least Frostmask now had a solid explanation about how May knew Paledusk and Birdstrike, which brought her some peace. Although the understanding also brought up more questions than it answered.

"I actually feel the same way," Frostmask murmured, and she saw Larchtail's gaze widen in surprise. "Well, I mean about my mom. She died right after she brought me to ShadowClan. There are so many things I'll never…"

Frostmask was interrupted as a yowl rang out through the clearing from one of the leaders on the Great Rock, signally the start of the Gathering. It was Willowstar who had yowled, and the grey tabby RiverClan leader was standing at the edge of the Great Rock, her silky fur shining silver in the moonlight.

"Let this leaf-fall Gathering begin!" Willowstar purred as quiet fell over the crowd. "I will start with RiverClan's announcements."

"All is well in RiverClan," she meowed. "The fish are still plentiful in the river despite the cooler weather. In the past moon, Otterfang was given her warrior name."

"Otterfang! Otterfang!" RiverClan cheered, and a few cats from the other clans joined in.

Frostmask's gaze found the sleek brown-furred she-cat in the crowd, and Otterfang raised her chin proudly. Frostmask's tail twitched as she remembered how much of an arrogant fur-ball Otterfang was the last time she saw her at a Gathering a few moons ago. Judging by the look of smug pride on the RiverClan warrior's face, that much hadn't changed.

"Besides that, we don't have that much else to report," Willowstar meowed, nodding to the other leaders, offering one of them to speak next.

Rabbitstar padded forward.

"WindClan is doing well too," the ginger tom said, raising his chin and tail proudly. "At the beginning of the moon, a fox had entered our territory and was hunting some of our rabbits, but my warriors managed to chase it off about a half moon ago before it could establish a den in our land. It headed in the direction of RiverClan territory."

At this, Rabbitstar nodded towards Willowstar, who narrowed her eyes at him.

"We have scented fox on our land recently," Willowstar said, a quiet growl in her voice as her sharp gaze raked over Rabbitstar. "Thank you for warning us about it so _promptly."_

Although Willowstar's voice dripped with scorn, Rabbitstar seemed unbothered. He just nodded indulgently as if he took her thanks at face value.

"You're welcome. I figured it wouldn't be too much of a bother for RiverClan since foxes don't fish," Rabbitstar said with a cheeky purr. "I don't have anything else to report."

Morningstar rose to his paws quickly now, before Rabbitstar even had the chance to take a seat, as if he wanted to make sure he spoke before SkyClan did. Fennelstar watched him with a narrowed gaze, but he didn't try to rush to his paws. Morningstar strode to the front of the Great Rock, holding his plumy grey tail and head high.

"As I'm sure you are all aware," Morningstar said, his loud voice reverberating through the clearing. "ThunderClan and SkyClan have been waging war for moons now over some of _our_ territory that SkyClan keeps trespassing and hunting in."

Fennelstar didn't say anything to argue with this statement, he simply watched Morningstar with a tense expression, although there were hisses and yowls of protest from the gathered SkyClan cats. Frostmask even heard Larchtail give a low growl from next to her.

"About a half moon ago, they struck us with a fox-hearted blow," Morningstar spat, lashing his tail and scraping his claws against the stone beneath him. "They attacked our camp while most of our warriors were out. They killed an elder, Mothwhisker, a nursing queen with young kits, Brambledapple, and my son, Rockstorm."

The ThunderClan cats yowled out in fury as Morningstar named their dead. Frostmask tensed her shoulders. Pressure was rising in the clearing like a storm was gathering. Frostmask glanced up towards the moon. It still shone brightly, but she knew that it wouldn't stay that way as soon as someone tried to attack someone else.

"However, with ShadowClan's help, we were able to drive them back," Morningstar growled, continuing. "And, launch our own attack on their camp in revenge."

Morningstar turned to glare at Fennelstar. Both large toms still had wounds on their pelts, inflicted by each other's claws only a few nights ago.

"We are even now," Morningstar said to him, growling out each word. "Do not test us. Stay out of our territory, and we will leave you alone."

Fennelstar gave a mocking laugh, his narrowed eyes glinting dangerously.

"Forgive me, Morningstar," Fennelstar sneered. "But, I can't take a threat from you seriously, when your clan has to hide behind another, using them to do your dirty work. I wouldn't be surprised if ThunderClan and ShadowClan decide to just merge and become one soon enough."

"We would do no such thing!" Morningstar snarled furiously, and Sedgestar was suddenly on his paws, turning towards Fennelstar.

Sedgestar's long-legged form was slighter than the bulky SkyClan leader's, but with the fur down his back bristling and his amber eyes burning with anger, he looked no less intimidating.

"This past moon, ShadowClan also lost a good warrior, Swoopstrike, who fell at SkyClan's claws," Sedgestar said.

His voice was low and even, but it had an undertone of danger. It was like a dark river that appeared calm, but if a cat carelessly stuck even one paw in, they'd be snatched away by the vicious current surging just beneath the surface.

"It is true that we had an agreement with ThunderClan, but that treaty is now at its end," Sedgestar growled cooly. "ShadowClan does _no one's_ dirty work for them, and we certainly aren't bound to ThunderClan. If you have an issue with ShadowClan, you take it up with me, and me alone, Fennelstar. Our Clans don't have to be enemies, but ShadowClan will put you in your place if we must."

Fennelstar's tail lashed behind him.

"Point taken, Sedgestar," Fennelstar growled, before his voice became sickly sweet. "In that case, besides this little— ahem— shall we say, _ThunderClan hiccup_ , there have been so many good feelings between ShadowClan and SkyClan for many seasons… I am sorry for the loss of your warrior, but I think it'd be a shame to throw it all away because of this one little incident."

Sedgestar narrowed his eyes.

"Quite right," he growled, nodding in agreement.

Frostmask felt a surge of anger inside her, and she dug her claws into the ground. She knew that Sedgestar was allowing ShadowClan to hunt on SkyClan land, so all this talk about "good feelings" between ShadowClan and SkyClan was just for show. But, regardless, her blood still boiled to hear her leader agree with Fennelstar reducing the entirety of Swoopstrike's stolen life to "one little incident."

Sedgestar turned away from Fennelstar to look out over the gathered cats.

"As for the rest of our news, we have four new warriors, Pineshade, Frostmask, Poolcloud and Autumnleap," Sedgestar meowed.

Frostmask ducked her head slightly as ShadowClan cheered loudly and defiantly for their clan-mates with a scattering of ThunderClan cats joining in, but the rest of the clans were silent. Sedgestar turned back to Fennelstar.

"Do you have any more news, Fennelstar?" Sedgestar asked, icily polite.

Fennelstar shot a pointed look at Morningstar, and for a heartbeat, Frostmask wondered if he was actually going to respond to the proposed truce by the ThunderClan leader. But, then Fennelstar shook his head.

"No. SkyClan is doing well, but we don't have much to report," Fennelstar responded, his tail twitching.

"Then I say this Gathering is over," Sedgestar meowed.

Sedgestar smoothly descended from the Great Rock like water racing down the side of a stone.

Frostmask turned towards Larchtail to see she was already on her paws to leave.

"Bye Frostmask, it was really nice talking to you," she meowed. "I hope we get to see each other again soon."

Larchtail paused, grimacing as she seemed to replay her words in her head.

"Er… I mean, see you soon, at a Gathering. Off the battlefield, of course," she amended quickly, her tail twitching awkwardly.

Frostmask gave a snort of bitter amusement, but a bit to her surprise, she didn't feel any resentment towards Larchtail about it.

 _Larchtail's a good cat,_ Frostmask decided. _She can't help that she lives in a Clan run by Fennelstar and Paledusk._

"Me too," Frostmask said, blinking at her in a friendly way. "Bye."


	24. In the Air Tonight

It was an evening a little over a quarter moon after the Gathering when Frostmask padded up to the lichen covered entrance to the medicine cats' den, hesitating at the entrance to the small cave.

"Can I come in?" Frostmask called.

"Frostmask, is that you?" she heard Autumnleap's voice reply. "Thank StarClan, I'm boring my tail off in here."

"Yes, come in," Elmclaw's voice cut in.

Purring slightly, Frostmask pushed her way through the lichen and into the dark, cozy cave. Autumnleap was sitting up in his nest close to the entrance of the den. Elmclaw was sorting herbs farther towards the back, and Clearstream was not in the den. Autumnleap still had a few herbs plastered on his white belly fur, but his eyes were bright, and he was looking a lot stronger.

"How are you Elmclaw?" Frostmask asked, greeting him first, but padding over to Autumnleap.

"Alright. I'd be better if your den-mate here was being a better patient," Elmclaw said with a grunt, shooting Autumnleap a pointed look from his sharp green eyes. "Clearstream stuck me with him all evening while she's gathering some herbs for Dawntail and her kits. I'd much rather deal with those four little hellions than Autumnleap. I think I'm going to have to tie him to his nest."

"Hey! I'm right here you know," Autumnleap protested.

Frostmask purred, twitching an ear towards Autumnleap, but she continued to look at Elmclaw.

"Oh no! There isn't anything wrong with Dawntail or her kits, I hope?" she asked.

"Oh there's plenty wrong with those kits, but nothing any herbs can do about it," Elmclaw said with a chuckle. "The herbs are for Dawntail. The kits had the bright idea to put some stinging nettles in the nest while their mother was sleeping. I think Buzzardkit and Cedarkit were trying to prank their sisters Cricketkit and Hollowkit, but the nettles all got on Dawntail instead. Clearstream's getting some herbs to sooth her stings."

"Stinging nettles?" Autumnleap echoed, wincing in sympathy. "I got into a patch of one of those once while hunting as an apprentice. It wasn't a good time. Those are some devious kits, huh?"

Frostmask nodded in agreement, turning to him.

"The nettles could've gotten on Snakeeyes or her kits too! Thank StarClan nothing like that happened to us while we were in the nursery," Frostmask meowed.

Autumnleap grimaced slightly.

"Well I might have tried once to put a thorn in Poolcloud's nest…" he confessed.

Frostmask's eyes widened.

"No way… was that that time when Amberberry stepped on a thorn inside the nursery?!" Frostmask said with a gasp. "Autumnleap, that was you!?"

Autumnleap nodded, his ears flattening guiltily. Frostmask shook her head, sighing in exasperation.

"But, that convinced Amberberry that the thorn bush was dropping them down into the nursery! She made us all help her prune the den for sunrises! My paws were aching for days after that," Frostmask said.

"But, I didn't want to get in trouble," Autumnleap said, widening his eyes imploringly at her, but a purr was building in his throat.

Frostmask rolled her eyes, reaching out a paw instinctively to playfully shove him, but she stopped before she made contact, her gaze flickering down to his bandaged stomach. She lowered her paw again without touching him.

"Fine. I guess I forgive you," she said, with a huff to pretend like she was still upset about it. "I guess it's moons old news anyway. How's your cut feeling?"

"Still hurts a little sometimes, but I'm getting a lot better," Autumnleap said, eagerly flexing his claws in and out.

"It would heal more quickly if you stayed still like I keep telling you instead of fidgeting all over the place," Elmclaw interrupted with a faint growl in his voice.

"I know. I know," Autumnleap said with an impatient sigh. "I'm just feeling so restless! I feel like I'm ready to go back to warrior's duties! Frostmask, have you gone hunting on SkyClan's territory yet?! I've been dying to, if only Elmclaw would let me out of this stupid den!"

"The cats in this stupid den saved your life," Elmclaw said, his green eyes sharp as he padded over to Autumnleap. "You could show a bit more gratitude."

Autumnleap sighed dramatically.

"But, is life really worth living if you have to spend it stuck in a nest all day?" he lamented.

Elmclaw chuckled then, shaking his head in exasperation.

"Fine. Let me take a look at that wound. If it's healed enough, I'll allow you some light hunting duties," he said.

Autumnleap gasped in excitement.

"Thank you, Elmclaw!" he said.

"Now hold still," Elmclaw meowed.

Autumnleap obeyed, not moving a whisker as Elmclaw removed the dried herbs from his belly. Frostmask peered over Elmclaw's dark tabby shoulder to watch. There was no scabbing on the cut, but the scar still looked very new and sensitive. It was a light red color, cutting a furrow through Autumnleap's long white fur. Elmclaw nodded slowly.

"Alright. You can go back to some light duties," Elmclaw said, and Frostmask saw Autumnleap perk up in delight. "But, that means only one hunt a day and don't push it if it starts to hurt. You can also sleep back in the warriors' den, but I want to come by the medicine cats' den at least once everyday so we can check on it. And, if you don't follow these instructions, you'll be back to being stuck in here with me before you can say 'mouse.' And, StarClan knows, neither of us want that, right?"

Autumnleap nodded vigorously.

"You're the best Elmclaw!" he declared, getting to his paws.

"I know," Elmclaw meowed, his voice a bit smug as he turned and padded back deeper into the cave to get back to his herbs.

Autumnleap turned to Frostmask, his amber eyes bright with excitement.

"Are you busy? Can we go hunting right now? It's close to sundown, right? Want to go to SkyClan territory?! It'll be so exciting!" Autumnleap meowed.

Frostmask purred at the sight of his enthusiasm.

"Slow down! You're talking as fast as Mosspaw," she said jokingly.

Autumnleap kneaded his paws eagerly into the ground.

"You just don't understand how boring being stuck in this den has been. I can't wait!" Autumnleap said with a purr.

Frostmask angled her ears towards the cave's exit.

"Let's get going then," she meowed. "I'd be happy to join you. But, we have to go in patrols of three or more, remember? Should we see if Pineshade and Poolcloud want to come with?"

"Yes! Let's find them!" Autumnleap exclaimed, hurrying through the lichen covered cave entrance and leaving Frostmask to follow.

"You get Pineshade; I'll find Poolcloud?" Autumnleap asked over his shoulder.

"Sure," Frostmask meowed, and Autumnleap trotted off in search of his brother.

Frostmask glanced around the camp. The sun was setting, casting the clearing in orange light and long shadows. Frostmask spotted Pineshade's black pelt wreathed in darkness at the edge of the camp, where she was crouched over a puddle, lapping up some rain water. Frostmask starting padding in her direction, but she tensed as she saw Dampfang heading towards her too, and he reached Pineshade first.

"Hey Pineshade," Dampfang meowed to her. "I was wondering if you wanted to do something with me tonight? Like I don't know, um, a walk or a hunt or something?"

Pineshade lifted her head, twitching water off her whiskers as she started to walk away from him without responding.

"Sorry, can't. I'm _super_ busy tonight," Pineshade said from over her shoulder, not giving him a second glance.

"But—" Dampfang began.

"Pineshade!" Frostmask said, waving her tail to catch her attention.

Pineshade's ears pricked, and she changed direction to walk up to Frostmask.

"Hey Frostmask, what's up?" Pineshade said, plopping down on the ground in front of her so she could lick her paw and swipe her whiskers clean, wiping the rest of the water away.

"Autumnleap is allowed to go back to some light duties," Frostmask meowed. "We were wondering if you wanted to come hunting with us in SkyClan? Poolcloud might be joining us too."

Although she didn't even twitch an ear back towards Dampfang, Frostmask could see Pineshade's eyes drift back in his direction for just an instant.

"Yeah, I'm totally free tonight. No plans," Pineshade said cooly.

"Great," Frostmask meowed, her ears pricking as she heard Dampfang give a quiet hiss of annoyance.

Pineshade continued intently licking her paw, as if she was oblivious to it. Frostmask waited quietly until she saw Dampfang stalk away before she bent her head down towards Pineshade.

"I take it Dampfang is still trying to win back your favor?" Frostmask asked in a low voice.

"The frog-brain won't leave me alone," Pineshade hissed through her teeth. "All the time, it's 'Pineshade, let's patrol together,' and 'Pineshade, I brought you your favorite prey,' and 'Pineshade, I got you some soft nest feathers.' I keep giving him the cold shoulder, but StarClan! It's been exhausting."

"He won't take a hint," Frostmask said, giving a low growl of agreement.

Pineshade snorted.

"A hint? I thought when I yelled at him that was less of a subtle hint and more of a boulder to the face," she grumbled.

Frostmask's brow furrowed in concern as she looked at Pineshade.

"Do you want to talk to Sedgestar or Grovepelt? Tell them how Dampfang keeps bothering you?" Frostmask asked. "They could tell him to stop."

Pineshade flicked her tail dismissively.

"I don't want to get them involved," Pineshade said. "Dampfang's annoying, but he's harmless."

Frostmask just twitched her ears.

"Hey!" Autumnleap's voice called.

He and Poolcloud were bounding over to them.

"Poolcloud's coming with us!" Autumnleap meowed excitedly.

"Yeah, well I was planning on going hunting with Dewleaf tonight. But, Autumnleap played the 'I almost died less than a moon ago' move against me, and I couldn't say no," Poolcloud joked, his tail twitching.

"Aw, come on! Don't you think it'll be so fun?" Autumnleap said, twining around the three of them. "Just the four of us, like old times!"

"Gross. Don't touch me," Pineshade sniffed, batting his auburn tail away when it brushed her back.

"Classic Pineshade! That's the spirit!" Autumnleap purred, looking like even his sister would be unable to put a damper on his bright mood tonight.

"I already let Grovepelt know that we were planning on hunting in SkyClan," he continued excitedly. "Let's get going! It'll be fully dark by the time we get to the border."

"Alright, alright," Poolcloud said with a good natured purr. "Keep your fur on, we're coming."

 _"Race you to the tunnel entrance,"_ Pineshade meowed quickly, on her paws in a flash and haring towards the camp exit.

"Last one there's a slow-slug!" she taunted from over her shoulder as she disappeared into the thorn tunnel.

"No fair!" Poolcloud yowled as he ran after her, laughing.

Autumnleap lunged forward with an eager purr, but Frostmask leapt in front of him to block him, her belly suddenly tightening with worry.

"Wait, Autumnleap!" she said, searching his gaze with hers. "Shouldn't you take it easy? You're still healing, remember?"

Autumnleap blinked, then touched his tail to her shoulder reassuringly.

"I appreciate your concern, but I feel fine," he meowed. "I don't think a little running will be a problem."

"But, Elmclaw only said _light_ duties," Frostmask protested, her brow furrowed.

Autumnleap glanced away from her like he was only half listening. His ears were twitching as if he was itching with impatience to get out of camp.

"I promise if it starts hurting, I'll stop, okay?" Autumnleap said, brushing around her and heading towards the tunnel. "Now we better get going or we'll never hear the end of how slow we are from Pineshade!"

"I— okay," Frostmask muttered as Autumnleap ducked into the tunnel and dashed off.

Frostmask sighed lightly, then ran off after him.

* * *

Once they had all made it to the tunnel entrance, and Frostmask verified that Autumnleap was still standing on all four paws, some of her worry about him started to evaporate and anticipation about the coming hunt on SkyClan set in.

Frostmask narrowed her eyes as Pineshade led the way into the pitch back tunnel. Desire to steal from SkyClan pricked like claws down her spine. It was a little retribution, but it was something.

She hadn't had the chance to go hunting there yet, having been busy with other patrols the past few nights. And, now as she found herself padding closer and closer to SkyClan territory with each step, she found a mixture of eagerness and nervousness swirling in her belly; even though she knew that she was following explicit instructions from Sedgestar to the letter, trespassing on enemy territory without going there to battle them still felt a bit strange and taboo.

But, she had Pineshade, Poolcloud and Autumnleap with her, and Frostmask wouldn't have chosen any other cats to be with her on this mission in enemy territory. She knew these three inside and out. All of the training sessions they'd spent together during their apprenticeship meant that when they all worked together, they almost stopped being four cats, instead turning into one.

They moved quietly through the tunnel, communicating simple thoughts mostly through tail-signals and light touches. The sign-speak that Lizardkit and his family had developed had become more prevalent throughout ShadowClan. It was slowly being implemented as something that was taught during apprentice training, and warriors had started to use it to convey more complex ideas to each other in situations where they needed to be silent.

Pineshade used one of the signals now to halt the group behind her with a wave of her tail. The tunnel in front of Frostmask had become slightly illuminated as a bit of dim, grey light streamed in through the exit ahead, and Frostmask was able to make out Pineshade's and Autumnleap's silhouettes in front of her. Pineshade approached the entrance to the tunnel, warily poking her head out of the tunnel to make sure the coast was clear.

Pineshade signaled the group forward, indicating they could head out.

The four of them streamed out of the tunnel, silently bounding through the small stretch of ThunderClan territory between the tunnel exit and the neutral territory around Fourtrees. Frostmask could barely make out the stale scents from the Gathering several nights ago still clinging to the bushes there, but there were no fresh scents. Frostmask relaxed as their paws crossed over the ThunderClan border and into Fourtrees.

"Let's find something to disguise our scents with," Pineshade meowed in a low voice, and the group split up to investigate the bushes.

They hadn't gone with their standard mask of toadstools because SkyClan territory was less damp than ShadowClan's, and it would seem out of place to any SkyClan cat that happened upon it. Frostmask scented the air for strong plant smells, and her nose led her to a big patch of chamomile. Frostmask signaled to the others with her tail.

"This'll work!" she said in a loud whisper.

Frostmask rolled in it first, and the rest of them followed.

"Nothing to see here, SkyClan. Just a big, wandering patch of chamomile," Autumnleap said with a soft purr.

"Are we ready?" Poolcloud asked, his fluffy black-and-white coat prickling in anticipation and his amber eyes gleaming.

Frostmask flicked her tail eagerly. Pineshade nodded, her pelt bristling with excitement.

"By the time SkyClan wakes up, their entire territory will be emptied of prey!" Autumnleap declared, flexing his claws in and out.

They prowled off, heading in the direction of SkyClan territory. Without having to say anything, they fell into their normal positions. Pineshade was on point, leading the group. Frostmask and Autumnleap were walking side by side behind her, on alert for any disturbances in the environment around them, and strong Poolcloud was behind them, guarding their backs.

Frostmask also kept a half an eye on Autumnleap as they walked, staying on alert for any sign of limping from him. If he started looking like his wounds were bothering him too much, Frostmask would turn this whole patrol around and lead them back to ShadowClan camp. Autumnleap would argue up a storm against it, but she knew Pineshade and Poolcloud would be on her side.

Autumnleap seemed like he was doing fine at the moment, however. He was moving smoothly and his eyes were bright as he looked around at the unfamiliar forest. They crossed into SkyClan territory, and almost immediately they came across a stream that blocked their path. Frostmask glanced from left to right. There was no way to go around it. If they went left, they'd end up back in ThunderClan territory, if they went right, they would be heading towards RiverClan. Frostmask gazed back forward at the water, her paws prickling in fear. She dearly hoped that they wouldn't have to swim through it…

"Let's look for a place to cross," Pineshade murmured. "If we swim, it'll wash off the chamomile scent."

Frostmask nodded in agreement, feeling a rush of relief that she wouldn't have to get her paws wet. They padded upstream, and just before the river split, creating a Y that encircled RiverClan territory, they came across some stepping stones into SkyClan territory. Pineshade crossed first, and Frostmask followed her. She went slowly to keep her balance on the slippery stones, her claws unsheathed for better grip, but she made it across without incident. Frostmask felt a prickle of worry for Autumnleap as she she turned to watch him cross, but he made it over fine, as did Poolcloud.

"Which way should we go?" Autumnleap asked in a whisper, his tail twitching as they gazed out at the dark forest unfurling before them.

"Why don't we stick to the bank of the river?" Frostmask suggested in an equally hushed voice. "We're not that familiar with the territory, so it'll be easier if we use a landmark that can bring us back here when it's time to go home."

"Good idea," Pineshade said softly, signaling them forward.

The whole group was tense as they padded up the river. Frostmask's ears were constantly pricked, and they swiveled towards every little noise, in case it was a SkyClan warrior. But, the only living creatures she identified were two mice, hiding among fallen leaves at the base of an oak tree. Frostmask touched Autumnleap's flank with her tail, nodding towards the tree. They slunk towards the mice side by side, leaving Pineshade and Poolcloud to wait by the river. As they got within striking distance, Frostmask read the tenseness of Autumnleap's muscles as he prepared to pounce, and they leapt together. Frostmask's paws smacked squarely down on the back of one mouse, before she dipped her head, killing it with a bite. When Frostmask lifted her head back up, she saw that the other mouse was already dangling from Autumnleap's jaws, and his eyes were shining in the starlight as he gazed at her.

_Our first catch on SkyClan territory!_

Frostmask nodded at Autumnleap, warm satisfaction in her chest. She swiped her tongue over her lips. The blood from her enemy's food seemed to taste sweeter than what she was used to.

They scraped some dirt over their prey to stash it for pick it up on their way back, and they continued upstream. It wasn't long before they came across more prey. Pineshade snagged a blackbird, and Poolcloud snatched up a water vole that had darted across their path.

As they walked longer with no signs of SkyClan warriors, a slight feeling of relaxation began to creep over the group. Frostmask wasn't jumping at every little sound, and they started to even hold conversations with each other in hushed voices.

"Oh! Look at that! What are those?" Poolcloud said, flicking towards the river with his tail.

The river had gotten wider the farther they traveled into SkyClan land, and Poolcloud was pointing at a large mass right in the middle of it. Frostmask blinked, trying to make sense of the shadowy shapes.

"It's like a little island?" Autumnleap meowed.

"Yeah," Pineshade said, squinting at it. "It looks like a bunch of big rocks. Boulders."

Frostmask sniffed the air. She could tell by the strength of RiverClan scent on the breeze that the large stones were a place frequently visited by the RiverClan cats, but she couldn't figure out what exactly was so appealing about them.

"Huh," Frostmask said curiously. "Maybe RiverClan uses them as a fishing spot?"

Pineshade shrugged.

"The behavior of those fish-faces barely makes sense even in the best of circumstances," she said. "So, there's really no way to guess."

The rest of them purred at the comment and kept padding on.

"Squirrel scent ahead!" Pineshade whispered, perking up. "I'm going after it."

She flicked her tail at Poolcloud to signal him over to her.

"Come with. Let's circle it," she said.

"You got it, Pinestar ma'am" Poolcloud said with a sarcastic purr, heading after her.

Pineshade just rolled her eyes.

"Be right back," Poolcloud said to Frostmask and Autumnleap.

"We'll just keep heading up the river," Autumnleap said. "Catch up with us when you get it."

Poolcloud flicked an ear to let them know that he heard as he and Pineshade vanished into the dark undergrowth. Frostmask and Autumnleap kept walking on.

"Are you having fun?" Autumnleap asked with a purr, as they weaved around the bushes at the edge of the river.

"Hm. It's definitely exciting. Although a bit hard to concentration on hunting when you have to worry about being hunted yourself," Frostmask said, flicking her tail.

Autumnleap eyes sparkled with amusement.

"You worry too much," he said, flicking her side with his tail.

"No. You entirely don't worry enough," Frostmask shot back with a soft purr.

Frostmask's gaze studied the dark territory around them. Despite the undercurrent of constant concern that an enemy might appear at any time, she was still able to find the forest pretty. Even though it was dark, she could still make out the orange, gold, and red, leaf-fall colored foliage above her.

"It is interesting to see the other Clans' territories, though," Frostmask added. "Like, we're getting this glimpse into how the other cats live."

Autumnleap's ears pricked.

"You're right," he meowed. "While we're here, we should get the whole SkyClan experience! Which means…"

Autumnleap ran over to a large, nearby maple tree. He reared up, dug his claws into the bark, and bounded up the tree to sit on a low branch. Frostmask's eyes widened.

"Autumnleap! What are you doing?" Frostmask hissed in a scolding voice as she trotted over to the base of the tree.

He blinked laughing amber eyes down at her.

"Getting the full SkyClan cat experience, clearly!" he purred. "The bird-brains practically live in the trees!"

"You shouldn't be climbing!" Frostmask protested, her tail lashing as she glared up at him. "You could tear you wounds back open! And, make yourself fall because you hurt yourself! _Or,_ you could lose your balance, fall, and hurt yourself from that! Also climbing is so noisy with all the leaf rustling. We're supposed to be being quiet; what if someone hears you?"

"I'll be fine, Frostmask," he reassured.

Frostmask just narrowed her eyes at him, jutting out her chin. Autumnleap tilted his head at her, not so easily cowed.

"Alright, fine. But, if you want me to come down, you'll have to come up here and make me," he said, his tail playfully flicking as it hung down from the branch under him.

Frostmask huffed, still glaring at him. Autumnleap arched a brow at her but stubbornly held his ground, an infuriating look of amusement on his face.

 _"Stupid, frog-brained, idiotic toms!"_ Frostmask grumbled under her breath.

"What was that?" Autumnleap asked in a sweet, innocent voice.

"I said, I'm coming," Frostmask said, rearing back to sink her foreclaws into the bark. "But, if you hurt yourself by playing around in this tree, I'll claw you up twice as badly for being a frog-brain!"

Frostmask bounded up the tree easily as Autumnleap laughed.

"You sound just like Swoopstrike," Autumnleap purred as Frostmask reached his branch and sat beside him.

She furrowed her brow at him.

"Good. Unlike you, Swoopstrike had sense," she grumbled, twitching her tail.

Autumnleap took in her stony expression for a moment before leaning over to gently bump his head against hers.

"Alright" he conceded with a quiet purr. "I'm sorry. I didn't meant to rile you so much. I just thought it would be fun to climb some trees after having been stuck in the medicine cats' den."

Frostmask pulled her head away so she could search his gaze with hers.

"Can't you see I just don't want you getting hurt!" she meowed, her eyes wide. "You were so injured not that long ago, and I just can't stop thinking about how after the battle, when Swoopstrike was dead, and you were _just lying there_ , limp and bleeding—"

Frostmask's voice suddenly choked up, and she paused, blinking hard a few times as grief and pain unexpectedly rushed over her. Autumnleap gazed at her quietly, his face sympathetic as he waited for her to continue. Frostmask sunk her claws into the branch to steady herself as her legs began to shake.

"You're my best friend," Frostmask meowed, her voice quavering as she spoke around the lump in her throat. "And, I'd just lost Swoopstrike, and all I could think about was how I wouldn't make it if you died too. I couldn't lose you too. I couldn't. _I can't,_ Autumnleap."

"Shh, it's okay," he murmured, scooting over to her so he could wrap his tail around her.

Frostmask leaned her head against his shoulder, taking a deep, trembling breath as his supportive presence against her side helped soothe her.

"I'm really glad you're okay. But, I'm just still so scared," Frostmask whispered. "Swoopstrike was taken so suddenly, and I keep thinking about how anything, at anytime, could—"

"I'm not going anywhere, Frostmask," Autumnleap said in a low voice as his tail tightened around her, not even letting her finish the thought.

"You don't know that," Frostmask whispered.

Autumnleap didn't respond. Silence hung between them for a few moments as Frostmask stared out at the dark river in front of them.

It was pitch black and she saw little pinpricks of stars reflecting in it, like she was staring down at the sky. Frostmask imagined herself plunging into the water, swimming with the stars swirling around her and seeing Swoopstrike emerge from the depths, his silver and black pelt studded with shining dots of light as he paddled over to greet her.

Frostmask shook her ears. If only visiting StarClan could be that easy…

"Maybe that's true," Autumnleap whispered, finally replying. "But, I'd never want to leave you, Frostmask."

Frostmask shook her head.

"That doesn't matter. No-one wants to leave anyone. But, it happens anyway. We don't have a choice," Frostmask said bitterly.

She lifted her head from his shoulder, so she could glance over at him. He was staring at her with a pained look in his amber eyes. Frostmask closed her eyes for a moment and sighed.

"Now I've just made you upset," she muttered bitterly, opening her eyes and looking away from him. "There's no point in talking about it anyway. There's nothing that either of us can do to control it. I'm sorry. It's stupid. I shouldn't have brought it up."

Autumnleap gazed at her in dismay.

"No! It's not stupid," Autumnleap protested. "And, you can always talk to me about anything you want to."

He leaned over to touch his muzzle to her cheek, but Frostmask moved away from his touch with a sigh, gently disentangling herself from his tail.

"Frostmask—" Autumnleap said, his amber eyes still troubled as he stared at her.

"There you guys are!" Poolcloud's quiet voice drifted up from where he and Pineshade had appeared at the base of the tree.

Pineshade was scowling up at the two of them.

"What are you frog-brains doing up there?" she hissed. "Leaf rustling is so noisy. You'll attract SkyClan attention."

Frostmask angled an ear towards Autumnleap, shooting him a pointed look. Autumnleap gave a sharp sigh and closed his eyes for a moment, like he was searching for a scrap of patience inside him.

"Okay. Okay, I get it. Climbing a tree is a frog-brained idea. We're coming down now, alright?" he said his voice a bit annoyed.

Frostmask descended first and watched Autumnleap carefully as he came down afterwards.

"Seriously. StarClan," Pineshade said, her tail twitching as he walked past her. "I can't leave you alone for like five heartbeats—"

"Put a mouse in it Pineshade. I'm not in the mood," Autumnleap growled at her from over his shoulder, his tail twitching.

Pineshade widened her eyes in offense and took a threatening step towards him. Frostmask warily watched on, her tail twitching with anxiety. She knew where this was going.

"Guys," Poolcloud whispered, his brow furrowed as he put himself between Autumnleap and Pineshade, trying to break it up.

"Oh, _I'm sorry!_ I guess I should just let you start yowling 'Hey, SkyClan! We're right here!' then?" Pineshade spat at Autumnleap from over Poolcloud's back.

"Guys, enough…" Poolcloud said, a quiet growl in his voice and his gaze flickering around the forest nervously.

Autumnleap curled his lip back at Pineshade.

"You're always like this!" he said, his voice rising slightly in anger. "Thinking you know better than—!"

Poolcloud slapped his fluffy tail against Autumnleap's mouth.

 _"Shh!"_ Poolcloud hissed in a whisper while he glared at his siblings. _"Shut up frog-brains! I think I heard something!"_

Frostmask immediately tensed. Her ears pricked, and she raised her nose to the breeze. The four of them were suddenly standing in wide-eyed silence, nothing but the sound of a gentle wind through the forest. Poolcloud slowly moved his tail out of Autumnleap's face, and even as Autumnleap brushed the long black and white hairs out of his mouth with a paw, he continued to be wide-eyed, his ears twitching and swiveling towards every little whisper in the woods.

Frostmask blinked. There it was. The faint sound of paws crunching on fallen leaves. It was growing louder. Heading in their direction.

Pineshade signaled to them frantically with her paw.

 _Hide!_ she signed.

Frostmask felt her training take over as the four of them scattered. Frostmask's paw-steps were light and silent across the forest floor, instinctively weaving around noisy leaves and twigs while her gaze flashed from place to place for somewhere to hide. Her ears pricked as she noticed a hollow in a gap between some roots of a nearby tree, and she squeezed inside. She crouched down, hidden by the shadows of the roots, and turned so she could peer back out.

The paw-steps were getting louder, and it wasn't long before, in the distance, she saw flickers of a white pelt through the undergrowth, which starkly stood out against the backdrop of the dark forest. It was both too dark out and the cat too hidden by undergrowth for her to identify, but she saw him pad up to the river, where he took a seat on the bank.

Frostmask let out a soft sigh of relief that the cat didn't seem to have noticed her or her friends hiding in the forest nearby. But, as the moments began to stretch on and on, and Frostmask stayed crouched in the roots, her tail began to twitch with anxiety. The cat showed no sign of moving. She and the rest would be trapped for as long as the tom stayed there… What if they wouldn't be able to get back home before the sun rose?

Frostmask was pulled out of her anxious thoughts at the sound of splashing. She saw a dark form moving through the river, swimming up to the SkyClan cat that was waiting for it. The dark cat emerged from the water, giving his pelt a shake and walking up to the white cat.

"Hello," the dark cat meowed.

Frostmask's brow furrowed. She didn't recognize this cat's voice.

"You're late," the white cat growled, and Frostmask stiffened as a voice she _did_ recognize, Paledusk's, grumbled in her ears.

Frostmask couldn't make out the dark tom's expression, but he seemed unconcerned in the face of Paledusk's anger based on his relaxed body language.

"Why did you ask to meet?" Paledusk continued, his voice impatient. "What does Willowstar want this time?"

"She's not pleased," the tom responded. "She was expecting us to have access to the hunting grounds on this side of the river come leaf-bare. But, you refuse to give it to us, since you failed to secure ThunderClan territory for yourselves."

"Well Perchpelt, tell Willowstar that if she had given us some RiverClan warriors to help us, we would both have new territory," Paledusk snarled. "She can't expect to always lie around and have other cats do her work for her."

Frostmask's eyes widened.

_Perchpelt! RiverClan's deputy…_

"We _will_ control both sides of the river before the winter solstice," Perchpelt said, stating the words coolly like it was a definite fact.

Frostmask could barely make out Paledusk's lashing tail through the undergrowth as he sized up the RiverClan tom.

"Is that a threat!?" Paledusk spat.

"Calm yourself, Paledusk," Perchpelt said, giving a dismissive tail-flick. "Willowstar understands now that she can't leave Fennelstar to his own devices. She wants to meet with him. I am sure she will have our warriors play a more active role going forward…"

"How _dare_ you just waltz onto my land and threaten us!"

Paledusk was on his paws now, hissing and snarling furiously.

"SkyClan doesn't need you! Take your fish-stinking pelt off of my territory!" Paledusk roared.

"Careful, Paledusk," Perchpelt warned in a low voice, not moving a muscle despite the large, bristling tom before him. "Think about it before you do something rash. We know about the two-legs. They're destroying more of the forest this season, aren't they? And, frightening the prey off? We can hear their monsters from across the river… SkyClan does need us. This riverbank in exchange for RiverClan's help in securing you more land is more than a fair trade. After all, it's poor hunting here for cats that don't fish. You need more territory, and you clearly aren't strong enough to take it alone, or you would've already succeeded. Do you really want to starve this leaf-bare?"

Paledusk didn't respond besides giving a low growl. Perchpelt got to his paws to leave.

"Tell Fennelstar what I said," Perchpelt meowed over his shoulder. "And, give me his response, so we can arrange a meeting."

Perchpelt slipped back into the water and swam off. Paledusk turned on his heel and stalked away from the river, vanishing back into the woods. After the sound of his paw-steps faded in her ears, Frostmask still waited for several heartbeats longer to make sure Paledusk was truly gone before she emerged from her hiding spot. Her chest was tight with anger at the sight of him, but drowning that out was worry for her friends; that they had safely hidden and were okay.

She crept warily through the trees back to where she last saw her clan-mates, her gaze flickering around for them.

"Autumnleap? Pineshade? Poolcloud?" she called in a cautious whisper.

"Frostmask," Poolcloud's voice hissed.

Frostmask's ears pricked and she turned to see him brushing out of some undergrowth. Frostmask felt a rush of graduate to see his face as she hurried over to him. Poolcloud blinked at her in relief, seeming equally grateful that Frostmask hadn't been caught.

"Where are Autumnleap and Pineshade?" Frostmask asked.

"Over here," Autumnleap's voice grumbled.

Frostmask turned towards his voice to see twin pairs of amber eyes staring out from under the same bramble thicket. As Autumnleap and Pineshade tried to emerge from the bush, they shoved at each other, both of them trying to get out from the thorny, densely woven tendrils first. Pineshade finally squeezed free of the thorns, sighing in relief as she straightened and shook out her dark coat, and Autumnleap shoved his way out behind her.

Autumnleap glared at Pineshade as he flicked his tail.

"She shoved me under there, and I had to spend the whole time sitting on thorns!" he hissed in a low voice.

 _"You're welcome_ for saving your mangy pelt!" Pineshade hissed back. "News flash: it wasn't a blast for me either. You were standing on my tail the whole time!"

"You two are unbearable," Poolcloud groaned, interrupting their bickering. "Get over it! We have more important things to discuss. Didn't you hear those cats talking?!"

Pineshade and Autumnleap both shook their heads.

"We heard voices, but we were too far away to make out their words," Pineshade meowed.

"Besides, I couldn't concentrate because of all the thorns stabbing me," Autumnleap grumbled.

"I heard them," Frostmask said, stepping forward. "It was SkyClan and RiverClan's deputies meeting."

Poolcloud nodded.

"Morningstar was right when he came to our camp all those moons ago. Those Clans do have an alliance," he meowed. "We need to let Sedgestar know what we found out."

Pineshade twitched her tail.

"Is it urgent?" she meowed. "Should we go back to camp now?"

Frostmask shook her head.

"I think we can finish our hunt," she said. "We should just report back to Sedgestar when we get home."

"Alright," Pineshade meowed, before turning to Autumnleap to blink at him with exaggerated concern. "Is that good for you? Or, does poor Autumnleap need to rest to lick his little thorn scratches?"

"I'm fine," Autumnleap snarled, brushing past her. "Let's get back to hunting."

Pineshade rolled her eyes, but didn't taunt him any more, instead flicking her tail to gather Frostmask and Poolcloud to her, and the four of them set off again. Frostmask bounded forward to catch up with Autumnleap, but he didn't look at her when she walked at his shoulder.

"Hey," she murmured. "You okay? I'm sorry Pineshade's treading on your tail. If you've still got thorns tangled in your pelt, I can—"

"Stop treating me like a _dumb kit,_ Frostmask!" Autumnleap snapped, glaring at her. "I'm fine, and I can take care of myself! You said it yourself just earlier that no one has control over what injuries or deaths happen. So, why do you _still_ keep worrying about me!?"

Frostmask's eyes were wide. Her muscles tight, she stared at him in shock for several moments before blinking hard. She saw a look of guilt creep across his face as he took in her expression. He opened his mouth to say something, but Frostmask took off before he could, her paws flying through the unfamiliar forest.

"Frostmask, wait!" she heard Autumnleap from behind her.

"What did you say to her?!" she heard Pineshade snarl accusatively at Autumnleap, coming to Frostmask's defense.

"I'm sorry!" Autumnleap called after Frostmask.

Frostmask felt her eyes sting, and she swallowed around the lump in her throat as she kept running. But, she was in enemy territory, and she didn't know where she was going, so sense set back in after not too long, and she slowed, panting by the river bank. She padded over to the river's edge to lap up and few mouthfuls of cool water as she tried to calm her trembling paws, when she heard footsteps behind her. She whipped around to see Autumnleap running up to her, slowing as he got closer. Frostmask still felt the sting of his words as she arched her back at him defensively.

"Leave me alone," she said with a quiet growl.

Autumnleap's eyes shone with shame and apology.

"I'm sorry Frostmask," he meowed. "I shouldn't have said that. Pineshade's just been driving me crazy, and I was frustrated, and I snapped at you when I shouldn't have. I'm _really_ sorry. I shouldn't've yelled like that."

Frostmask defiantly turned her gaze away from him, hurt and sadness still swirling in her belly.

"But, you're right, aren't you?" she growled down at the ground. "I shouldn't be so worried about you."

Autumnleap let out a huff that sounded mildly amused.

"You are maybe being _a bit_ overprotective," he admitted. "But, you being worried about me doesn't actually bother me. Because I know that the reason you worry about me is because you care."

He padded a bit closer to her.

"I know you think I don't worry enough, and I'm not careful enough. But, I do worry about you too, you know? A lot actually," he meowed softly.

Frostmask felt a rush of hot pain and anger as she dug her claws into the ground and brought her gaze back up to his.

"That's the problem!" she growled, her tail lashing.

Autumnleap's brow furrowed.

"Worrying about you?" he asked.

"No!" Frostmask cried, clenching her fangs. "Caring in general! Everyone is just going to die. Why bother? Why should someone bother getting attached to cats that are just going to leave them…"

Frostmask hung her head defeatedly, the bright anger inside her fading to be replaced with hollow, aching emptiness.

"Leave _me_ ," she muttered bitterly to the ground.

She took a seat, wrapping her tail around herself for comfort. She heard Autumnleap's paw-steps on the stony river bank as he walked over to her side.

"And, don't you _dare_ say you'll never leave me, because you know you can't promise that," Frostmask muttered to the ground as he sat next to her.

Autumnleap purred very faintly.

"Okay, I won't," he murmured.

For a moment they just stayed there in silence as Frostmask intently studied the pebbly ground under her feet.

"You know, I think I've heard the elders say before that 'it's better to have loved and lost than never loved at all,'" Autumnleap murmured.

Frostmask glanced over at him, and she saw he was gazing up towards the stars. The pinpricks of light reflected back in his dark amber eyes.

"That's easy for them to say when they know that they'll get to see all their friends and family in StarClan one day," Frostmask muttered bitterly.

Autumnleap glanced down at her in surprise.

"Do you not believe that?" he asked.

Frostmask shrugged.

"I believe that StarClan exists. But, it's just for Clan cats, right?" she muttered. "My mom won't be there…"

She looked back down at her paws as she swallowed hard.

"I don't even know if one day, will… Will I go there?" she rasped, feeling raw as she finally said the fear out loud.

"Of course!" Autumnleap said with a small gasp. "If our ancestors have any scrap of fairness in them, you, and your mother, will be with them too."

Autumnleap bent his head to nudge her cheek with his muzzle.

"And, if you aren't…" he said in a rough whisper. "Then I will leave their hunting grounds and search the skies and the earth until I find you. You won't be alone."

There was a powerful emotion in his voice that Frostmask couldn't quite identify. She lifted her gaze to look at him, and when she gazed into the amber eyes that were so familiar to her, her chest tightened in a strange way. She had an odd sense that she was looking at him, _really_ looking at him, for the first time. His eyes were open, raw, and vulnerable as they searched hers.

"Frostmask… I- I—" Autumnleap stammered.

"Hey! Autumnleap, did you say you're sorry?!" Pineshade's voice interrupted him.

Autumnleap blinked and shook himself like there had been a spell over him which suddenly shattered. Frostmask too jerked and took a deep breath, as if she had been underwater and her head had just broke back through the surface. Still, the fur down her back prickled with energy and tension as she turned to look at Pineshade and Poolcloud padding up to them.

"Uh— Yeah- yeah," Frostmask stuttered, shaking her ears as she tried to shake off the weird feeling. "He did. It's okay."

Pineshade nodded.

"Good," she said, shooting Autumnleap a sharp look.

But, it seemed like it hardly registered for the dark ginger warrior. He was still looking at Frostmask and blinking a foggy look out of his eyes.

"Well, Poolcloud and I grabbed a couple of birds on our way here, but I was thinking we should probably head back towards Fourtrees," Pineshade continued. "We still have time to hunt on the way back, but the night's getting on, and we have to make sure we're back by sunrise, right?"

"Right," Frostmask echoed, getting to her paws and taking a step after her as Pineshade and Poolcloud began to pad back the way they came.

Frostmask blinked and turned back to Autumnleap when she realized he was still sitting by the river.

"You coming?" she asked.

Autumnleap shook his pelt.

"Yeah, of course," he mumbled, getting to his paws and following the rest of them.

* * *

It was still before dawn by the time they made it back to camp with their prey. They had managed to double their haul on their way back to the stepping stones, so it was still a good amount of fresh-kill despite the fact they had lost time hiding from Paledusk and the RiverClan deputy.

As Frostmask reflected back on the conversation she overheard between them, she remembered Perchpelt mentioning that the hunting was poor close to the riverbank.

_We'll go deeper into their territory next time._

Frostmask had also noticed Autumnleap seemed a bit broody for the rest of the hunt, but she didn't think he seemed to be in pain. So, she did her best to brush his mood off, although the fur down her back rose again with a shiver when she remembered the strange feeling she had staring into his dark amber eyes.

"I'll let Sedgestar know we're back and about the conversation we heard," Poolcloud muttered around the prey in his mouth as they walked through the thorn tunnel into the camp.

They headed over to the fresh-kill pile to drop their prey off, and Poolcloud went over to Sedgestar's den.

Frostmask sighed softly. She was looking forward to napping in her nest before dawn, but as she, Pineshade, and Autumnleap turned towards the warriors' den, a dark shadow detached itself from near the bush and padded up to them. Frostmask narrowed her eyes as she recognized Dampfang, but he ignored her and Autumnleap, heading straight for Pineshade. Pineshade shot Frostmask a look that said _not this again_ before she turned to Dampfang.

"Pineshade—" Dampfang began.

"Dampfang. Enough," Pineshade meowed firmly but quietly before he could continue. "You have to stop doing this. I don't want to hang out with you, okay? You have to stop bothering me."

Dampfang kneaded his claws into the ground.

"Okay, yeah, I get it," he mumbled. "But, please, give me just one more chance. Just _one_ time, I promise. Let's go for a walk so we can talk privately, and after that, if you never want to see my face again, I'll leave you alone forever."

Pineshade was silent for a long moment. Frostmask felt the fur on her shoulder stir as Autumnleap padded closer to her side as he also waited to see what Pineshade would say.

Finally, Pineshade gave a curt nod.

"Alright. I'll come," she meowed.

"Thank you," Dampfang said, and Frostmask felt a bit surprised to hear what sounded like real relief in his voice.

"See you guys later," Pineshade said to Autumnleap and Frostmask as she followed Dampfang out of camp.

Autumnleap gave a quiet, discontented growl as Pineshade's black tail disappeared into the tunnel.

"Nothing but trouble will come from that," he grumbled.

"I don't think Pineshade's that frog-brained," Frostmask said in her defense.

Autumnleap snorted, seeming unconvinced.

"Pineshade's been in love with him for a long time," Autumnleap muttered darkly. "And, feelings like that can't be shaken off like rain water. They stick on you."

"You sound a bit bitter, Autumnleap. Are you speaking from experience?" Frostmask said, the quip coming out of her mouth without her thinking about it.

But, she felt a pang of regret about it immediately, which grew only stronger when she glanced over at Autumnleap and saw him looking at her in surprise. Her pelt suddenly flushed with heat, and she wished she could snatch the words back.

"I- er… bad joke," Frostmask muttered quickly, her ears burning as she turned away from him.

"Well maybe _I am_ ," Autumnleap said, and Frostmask was relieved that his voice contained only his normal cheerfulness and teasing, no weird emotions. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

"Another time. I think I've had enough drama for one night," Frostmask said drily over her shoulder as she padded towards the warriors' den. "Right now, my nest is calling my name much more strongly than anything else. Come on, I'll show you where yours is."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! Since this chapter hints pretty strongly at Autumnleap having romantic feelings for Frostmask, I just wanted to put a note here addressing it, in case anyone feels weird about it, considering that Redclaw was involved with raising both of them. Honestly, it took me a while to decide if I wanted to include any romantic elements between those two for that reason, and in real life, I definitely wouldn't advocate for a romantic relationship between adoptive siblings because I definitely view adoptive siblings as "real" siblings, and obviously, it's weird to date your brother or sister haha.
> 
> In the case of this story, though, I think it's important to note that the clans' cultures are quite different from our own in some notable ways:
> 
> Firstly, in the Clans, I envision the queens raising their kits rather communally (as cats do in real-life.) So, since they all live together in the same den, younger litters look up to older litters, and the older litters protect and guide the younger ones, and the queens act as maternal figures to all the kits. They nurse/feed them and watch over them, although the queens do take greater responsibility when it comes to caring for their biological kits. Since Frostmask wasn't the biological kit of any of them though, she kind of just got passed around by the queens as they took turns caring for her, although, Frostmask and Redclaw did bond the most closely. (Which I think was because of several different reasons: Redclaw had kits the closest in age to Frostmask so Frost was going through all of the same developmental stages as them as she grew. Redclaw was also the first one to step forward and comfort Frostmask after May died, and she’s the only one of the queens that knows the truth about Frostmask’s SkyClan heritage.)
> 
> Because of this though, Autumnleap, Pineshade, and Poolcloud grew up viewing and treating Frostmask in the same way they view and treat the other cats that they were raised with in the nursery (Mosspaw, Murmurpaw, Dampfang, and Dewleaf.) Which, in human terms, would be more like "the girl next door," (so like a neighbor who they grew up with and who was over hanging out at their house practically all the time) rather than a sibling.
> 
> The second big reason is a more negative aspect of Clan culture: Since the Clans have such a big stigma against outsiders and put so much emphasis on blood purity, as Frostmask was brought into ShadowClan and started growing up, she constantly was told: "You're a rogue. You don't belong here. You're not one of us,” etc, even by cats like Pineshade and Dampfang (kits in the nursery with her.) Frostmask internalized that message, leading to her thinking that May was her only "real" family, since May was the only one related to her by blood. That in addition to the fact that Frostmask was very depressed and withdrawn as a kit basically stopped her from bonding super closely with any one cat or family.
> 
> The Clan’s negative view on adoption is definitely something I’m planning on addressing in this story since a major theme here is community, "finding your family," and family not being defined solely by blood-relation. In that sense, this story is completely about Frostmask realizing that cats like Redclaw, Autumnleap, Pineshade, Poolcloud, Weaseltail, Swoopstrike, and so on are her family. But, not in the “gross, dating your sibling" kind of way haha.


	25. Herding Kittens

Frostmask stretched in the leaf-fall midday sunlight, flinching slightly as a cold breeze suddenly nipped at her nose, but she was thankful her thick pelt insulated her, keeping most of her body cozy. She settled back down on the sun-warmed earth, her eyelids drooping as dark sleep curled back over her.

It had been a little over a moon since the battle in SkyClan, and the ShadowClan fresh-kill pile was still being supplemented by SkyClan prey as Sedgestar allowed the expeditions onto their territory to continue. Frostmask had been over there many times now, and she felt like she won a little victory for Swoopstrike with every scrap of prey she brought back. ShadowClan patrols had been lucky, and they hadn't run into any trouble so far. But, Frostmask's ears twitched as she remembered the concerning conversation she had overheard between Paledusk and Perchpelt a little while ago. Poolcloud had reported it back to Sedgestar that night, but Sedgestar had said that there was not much ShadowClan could do without knowing what the two Clans had planned. So, although Sedgestar had a border patrol share the information with a passing ThunderClan patrol in order to keep the Clans' good relations alive, there had not been much change in ShadowClan's daily activities.

Frostmask though could feel time slipping away as the days got shorter and leaf-bare approached, and she knew whatever RiverClan and SkyClan had planned, it would become clear soon enough.

It was almost too cold these days to spend a midday nap outside the dens, basking in the sunlight. But, today was a rare, beautiful day with a clear blue sky and strong yellow sunlight, and Frostmask was determined to have a calm nap in the sun for one more day before leaf-bare and all its trials properly set in.

Frostmask's ears twitched as through the half-asleep haze that hung over her, she heard paw-steps and the sounds of purrs and hushed voices.

_"Shh! Quiet frog-brain—" "—No you are—" "—hear us—" "—that way—"_

It sounded as if the cats were talking to each other in incomprehensible fragments. But, Frostmask knew better. She easily recognized the voices as Featherkit and Yewkit, and she knew Lizardkit was surely with them too. The three of them must be talking to each other with paw-sign, and the whispers Frostmask was hearing were only the parts of the conversation that Featherkit and Yewkit felt like saying out loud.

Frostmask kept her eyes shut, still pretending to sleep as the paw-steps got louder as the kittens not-so-sneakily snuck up on her. She heard them pause, and she imagined them readying themselves for the pounce, hindquarters wiggling and eyes bright with excitement.

 _"Roar!"_ Yewkit growled as they leapt.

Frostmask rolled smoothly, her eyes flashing open and a purr rumbling in her throat. Yewkit and Featherkit hit the ground where she had been lying. Instead of landing on her back, they collided with each other, tumbling across the ground. Frostmask straightened into a sitting position, holding her chin high as she purred loudly.

"Eep!" Featherkit squeaked, wiggling to get out from under her brother's silver pelt.

"Ha!" Frostmask declared, her blue eyes shining playfully. "You didn't really think it'd be so easy to sneak up on a warrior of ShadowC— _Oomph!"_

Frostmask lurched forward as something barreled into her from behind, tackling her to the ground. Frostmask glanced up to see Lizardkit on her back, his sleek white coat prickling with excitement and his blue eyes bright with pride.

"How'd you do that?" Frostmask said with a laugh. "I didn't even hear you coming!"

She did her best to sign along with her words, at least as much as she could, being pinned to the ground. The signs helped Lizardkit with his lip reading. He was able to understand a good amount from that alone, but he wasn't as comfortable with it as he was with signing.

 _'You were distracted.'_ Lizardkit signed, his expression very self-satisfied.

"We're practicing for our apprentice training," Featherkit meowed as Frostmask stood up.

Frostmask dislodged Lizardkit with a playful shake of her pelt, although she winced slightly as she felt a tender spot on her side where his paws had hit her.

The kits were six moons old now, which meant they were almost adult-sized, so them pouncing on her tended to hurt a bit more now than it did when they were just tiny fluff-balls.

"I'm sure whoever your mentors are, they will be impressed," Frostmask purred, lying back down in the sunshine.

Her eyes started to drift back shut, but Lizardkit prodded her side with his paw, and she blinked her eyes back open.

 _'Do you know when the ceremony will be?'_ he asked.

Frostmask felt a twinge in her chest. From what Frostmask had seen, most apprentice ceremonies occurred the very day that the kit hit six moons old. It was almost impossible for Sedgestar to miss it because, more often than not, the kits were counting down the sunrises and pestering their parents everyday leading up to it. But, for these three, that day had come and gone with no ceremony, and it had been a quarter moon since then. Frostmask wasn't certain what was causing the delay, but she suspected it likely had to do with Lizardkit's deafness. The white-furred kit was still very much set on being a warrior despite his disability. But, would Sedgestar let him?

Frostmask glanced at the kits' faces. They each looked anxious about the delayed ceremony, and she found herself trying to set them at ease.

"I don't know when it will be exactly, but I'm sure Sedgestar and Grovepelt are picking out your mentors right now," she meowed. "He's always careful about pairing apprentices with mentors who will be the best fit for them. So, it takes him some time."

Yewkit settled down, wrapping his tail around his paw.

"Your mentor was our mom's brother, right?" Yewkit meowed, his eyes curious and serious as he gazed at her. "Swoopstrike?"

Frostmask felt a claw of pain stab at her heart at the sound of his name.

"Yeah," Frostmask murmured, glancing down at her paws. "Sedgestar did a good job picking him for me. He was the best mentor I could've asked for... I miss him."

Lizardkit and Featherkit cuddled up on either side of her as if they sensed her sadness. Frostmask gave a quiet purr to them.

 _'What was it like training with him?'_ Lizardkit asked.

"Yeah," Featherkit seconded. "We saw him spend time with Snakeeyes a lot, but he never really played with us like you do. What was he like?"

Frostmask purred lightly.

"I don't think Swoopstrike really knew how to play with kits," she said, signing along with her words. "Honestly, at first I didn't like him. I thought he was grumpy and mean and that he treated me unfairly. But, then I saw how he would also always help me and protect me. He was always there when I needed him to…"

Frostmask stopped signing to scuffle her paws into the ground when she found herself getting overwhelmed with emotion.

"He was a good cat," she concluded.

"I hope we get mentors that good," Yewkit said a bit wistfully.

"I'm sure you will," Frostmask purred.

She stretched again and yawned, but she found most of her sleepiness was gone now. Her ear twitched as Rowanheart came padded over to them, purring hello to his kits.

"Dad!" Featherkit said with a playful growl, leaping on to his back.

"Woah! Careful, you guys are getting a bit big for badger-rides," he purred, playfully shaking her off. "I see you've chosen Frostmask to be the lucky cat who's nap you've interrupted this sun-high?"

 _'We were practicing stalking,'_ Lizardkit signed.

"I don't mind," Frostmask purred. "I'm not very sleepy anymore."

"Can we practice with you, Dad?" Yewkit said, turning to him.

Rowanheart arched a brow at him.

"Well I'm not as good-natured as Frostmask, so I'm not letting you jump all over me," he said with a purr. "But, do you want to practice your hunter's crouches?"

 _"Yes!"_ Yewkit and Featherkit chorused while Lizardkit nodded along emphatically.

"Alright, come on!" he purred.

Frostmask watched as Rowanheart led the kits away from her to the edge of the camp to practice. He crouched down, and the kits mimicked him. Rowanheart corrected their positions with soft nudges of his muzzle. Frostmask's heart warmed as she remembered Weaseltail doing the same thing to her, Autumnleap, Pineshade, and Poolcloud. Even though Frostmask's tail had been shaking with nervousness the first time, out of fear that she had been doing it wrong, Weaseltail had been so gentle and kind as he helped her position her paws correctly.

"It seems like only yesterday I was the one teaching him how to do a hunting crouch," Sedgestar's voice said, causing Frostmask to start slightly.

She had been so lost in her own memories that she hadn't noticed him approach her. Sedgestar was standing near her, gazing over at Rowanheart and his grandkits with a look of deep affection in his eyes. Frostmask dipped her head to him respectfully.

"I was also just thinking that it doesn't feel that long ago that I was learning it from Weaseltail," Frostmask meowed.

A quiet purr rumbled in Sedgestar's throat.

"Kits never stay kits for long," he meowed a bit wistfully before blinking and looking away from Rowanheart to glance down at Frostmask. "But, actually, that is what I need to talk to you about. I'm sure you are aware that my grandkits are ready to become apprentices."

Frostmask felt her stomach flip in surprise at the turn of conversation.

"Yes, of course," she said.

Sedgestar tilted his head at her.

"What would you think about being Lizardkit's mentor?" he asked.

Frostmask jolted in shock.

"What?" she meowed, her eyes wide. "Me?"

Sedgestar nodded.

"I've spent a long time thinking about it, due to his condition. And, I think you are the best choice. Also, Snakeeyes is very fond of you, and she's told me how much time you've spent with him as he's grown up," Sedgestar said.

"But- but I'm so young!" she said. "I just became a warrior, surely someone else would be more experienced? I don't know if I'm ready for an apprentice yet."

"I think you don't give your abilities enough credit," he said simply with a swish of his tail. "Besides, I think Lizardkit needs you. He needs someone who knows what it's like to be… doubted. Like how you were doubted because of your heritage, there will be cats who will doubt if he is worthy to be a warrior. I believe Lizardkit is capable, but he will only succeed if he has a mentor that hasn't already given up on him before he even begins training."

Frostmask's tail flipped worriedly behind her, anxiety gnawing in her chest.

"But, what if me being his mentor causes more harm than good?" she said. "Can you imagine what the other Clans would say? 'The rogue's training the deaf apprentice.' Poor Lizardkit would be a laughing stock."

Sedgestar shot her a sharp look.

"Since when do we care what the other Clans think?" Sedgestar said a bit defensively. "Lizardkit has to prove himself as a capable warrior to _ShadowClan_ and no one else. The rest of the Clans can laugh all they want. They'll stop laughing when they see our strength and our claws."

Frostmask bowed her head dutifully.

"Still, I don't know if I'm ready," she muttered. "Can't _you_ train him? You said that he needs someone who believes in him, and it sounds like you do, at least."

He shook his head, giving a short sigh.

"I considered it, but I don't think it's wise. Lizardkit is my kin… I fear that if I train him, some cats will think he earned his warrior name through my fondness for him rather than his merit," Sedgestar admitted, his tail-tip twitching slightly.

Frostmask turned her face away.

"…I don't want this to sound the wrong way, because I _do_ think Lizardkit is a smart and capable cat; I promise," Frostmask murmured, almost afraid to look at Sedgestar. "I've seen him grow, and I've seen how he has overcome more obstacles already in his short life than some warriors have. I'm sure he'll be able to hunt and fight. But… still, Sedgestar, you must know that there will always be things… that he will never be able to do."

"All of us have things we will never be able to do," Sedgestar responded in a low, quiet voice. "I will never be as connected to our ancestors as Clearstream is. Or, as kind as Emberflower. Or, as strong as Darkpelt."

Frostmask glanced back at him.

"I—" she began, but he cut her off with a shake of his head, raising a paw for silence.

"I know that you have your reservations, and so does the rest of the Clan. If I'm being honest, I do too," Sedgestar said, and his amber gaze softened. "And, maybe I am being soft on the kit. But, Lizardkit wants to train to be a warrior, and that's good enough for me to at least let him try."

"Of course," Frostmask meowed quietly.

"He will be held to the same hunting and battle training assessments as the other apprentices," Sedgestar continued. "If he passes, he will be made a full warrior. If he doesn't…"

Sedgestar glanced down at his paws for a heartbeat.

"Well, that is something we will discuss if that time comes. But, regardless, there will _always_ be a place in ShadowClan for him."

He glanced back over at her.

"So, what is your answer?" Sedgestar asked.

Frostmask felt the swirling indecision in her belly slowly give way to steely determination, and she began to nod.

"Okay. I'll do it. For Lizardkit," she said, glancing up at him.

"Excellent," Sedgestar purred, touching her shoulder with his tail-tip. "I will hold their ceremonies before the evening patrols head out."

Sedgestar padded away from her, leaving Frostmask alone with her whirling thoughts of surprise, uncertainty, and a bit of excitement.

_I'm going to be a mentor!_

She looked back over across camp at Lizardkit, who was still practicing his crouches with his littermates and Rowanheart. He had the position down almost exactly right, and he was stalking a twig with his brow furrowed in determination. Frostmask purred, her heart already warming with pride.

"Hey Frostmask!" Autumnleap meowed as he padded over to her.

He was coming from the medicine cat's den after getting his scar checked out. He had been cleared back for full duties about a half-moon ago, but earlier that day, he had been having some pain in his old wound, and Frostmask insisted on him checking in with Clearstream or Elmclaw about it.

Autumnleap's gaze flickered across her face as he read her expression.

"What's got you all wound up?" he purred. "You look so tense!"

Frostmask kneaded her paws to displace some of her excess anticipation.

"I just talked to Sedgestar," she meowed. "I'm going to be Lizardkit's mentor. He's holding their ceremonies today."

Autumnleap's face lit up.

"That's amazing!" he purred. "Are you excited?"

"Yeah, kinda," she meowed. "But, nervous too."

"Don't be!" he exclaimed. "You'll be great at it!"

Frostmask felt a rush of warmth in her chest. She was grateful for how easy it was to tell Autumnleap these things. He was always so supportive.

"Thank you," Frostmask purred in response. "Anyway, what'd the medicine cats say to you?"

Autumnleap flopped down on the ground beside her.

"Nothing bad," he meowed. "Apparently some occasional pain is normal on big scars or old injuries. Nothing you can do about it, and it doesn't hurt you; it's just something that happens and is annoying."

"Hm," Frostmask mused. "Maybe that's why the elders are so achey all the time. It's their old injuries acting up."

Autumnleap purred.

"Like how Greytail always says her ankle aches before it rains?" Autumnleap rolled onto his back, pressing a paw against his scar, his faced creased in concentration as if he was deep in thought.

"Oo my scar's really achin' today!" Autumnleap wheezed, putting on a rasping voice as if he was an ancient elder. "I can feel a snowstorm's comin' tomorrow!"

 _"Shh!"_ Frostmask said, playfully kicking his side but still giving a quiet purr. "If one of the elders hear you, you'll be crowfood!"

Autumnleap purred, rolling away from her kicks before he furrowed brow at her.

"Stop that at once, young'un!" Autumnleap continued with a grizzled growl as he shook his paw at her. "StarClan! Kits these days don' show their elders no respect!"

A rush of playful energy flooded Frostmask, and she rolled over, hunching down in a threatening crouch in an instant.

"How's _this_ for respect?" she meowed, springing at him.

Autumnleap yelped in a very undignified way then as Frostmask tackled him, sending the two of them rolling across camp. Frostmask pinned him to the ground, and Autumnleap wiggled feebly under her paws in a very half-hearted attempt to free himself. He gave up entirely after a moment, sprawling out dramatically.

"You killed me," he bemoaned, closing his eyes.

Frostmask unceremoniously dropped all her weight onto him.

 _"Oomph!"_ he exhaled sharply.

Frostmask plopped her chin down on to his chest.

"You seem very sensitive for a corpse," she teased.

"I'm still in the process of dying after our mighty battle," he explained.

"Battle?" she echoed, tilting her head in mock confusion. "You really didn't put up much of a fight."

He cracked one eye back open to glance at her.

"Well of course not; I'm like one hundred seasons old," he said, shutting his eyes again. "Honestly, it was really cruel of you to just murder such an elderly cat like that."

Frostmask rolled off of him and shook the dust off her pelt while he continued to lie there, playing dead. She prodded his side with her paw.

"Aren't you gonna get up?" she asked.

"What about 'dead' do you not understand?" His eyes were still tightly shut.

Frostmask purred, then got to work flattening her rumpled fur with a few quick licks. She stilled, the purr dying in her throat as she saw Dampfang and Pineshade emerge from the warriors' den side by side, their heads leaned together as they spoke in close confidence. Autumnleap, sensing the shift in her mood, opened his eyes and sat up, following her gaze to them across camp.

"She's still talking to him?" Autumnleap asked quietly.

Frostmask's ears flattened.

"I just don't understand it," she said with a quiet growl. "He's crowfood! Everyone seems to know that but her."

"True, but crowfood is still appealing to some," Autumnleap meowed philosophically. "Vultures, for one."

Frostmask flicked his side with her tail.

"Pineshade's not a vulture," she said firmly.

Autumnleap tsked his tongue.

"Are you sure about that? Dark, broody, harbingers of death… That all sounds like Pineshade to me," Autumnleap said with a rumbling purr.

Frostmask furrowed her brow.

"I'm being serious," she chided lightly. "Honestly, it just really ruffles my fur the wrong way. Like I really thought Pineshade and I were starting to be _real_ friends…"

Her voice trailed off.

"And, Dampfang's an insufferable piece of snake-dung who's cruel to you every chance he gets?" Autumnleap suggested sympathetically, no trace of amusement left his face.

Frostmask sighed heavily.

"Right," she meowed.

Autumnleap got to his paws to pad over to her side.

"I wish I could fix this for you," Autumnleap meowed. "But, if anyone could make Pineshade see sense, it _certainly_ isn't me."

"No one can change her mind. It's her choice," Frostmask muttered, her tone bitter.

"Well it's also her loss," Autumnleap said simply, nudging her cheek with his muzzle. "She's certainly trading down. You're a _million_ times better than Dampfang."

Frostmask felt her ears warm. She used to take Autumnleap's compliments of her in stride, but ever since the first hunt they went on in SkyClan territory, they now made her feel all flustered and weird. Like she had moths trapped in her stomach.

"Thanks," she muttered, fiercely hoping that he hadn't noticed her pelt flushing.

Autumnleap started to chuckle to himself.

"What?" Frostmask asked, tensing at the thought that he had noticed her embarrassment.

"I'm just thinking about the look that'll be on Dampfang's face when he realizes you're getting your first apprentice before him," Autumnleap said. "It'll be _so_ good."

"Don't be so sure," Frostmask warned. "I have no clue who's mentoring Yewkit or Featherkit."

Autumnleap rolled his eyes.

"Sedgestar puts so much thought into picking mentors, and these are his _grandkits._ You seriously think he's apprenticing one of them to a cat as insufferable as Dampfang?" Autumnleap said.

"Maybe he's thinks it'll build character for the kits or something," Frostmask said drily, and Autumnleap gave a brief purr. "But… you have a point."

Autumnleap's ears pricked.

"Looks like we'll be finding out very soon!" he meowed.

Frostmask followed his gaze to see Sedgestar and Emberflower had emerged from their den at the base of the Oak Tree, their tails intertwined. Sedgestar leaned into his mate for a moment before he gently unraveled his tail from hers and headed towards Clanrock.

"Oh snake-dung!" Frostmask cursed, rasping her tongue down her pelt rapidly. "Is my fur messed up? Do I look okay?"

Autumnleap purred.

"Isn't it supposed to be the apprentices that are nervous about looking good for the ceremony? Not the mentors?" he said, tilting his head at her.

"Autumnleap!" Frostmask hissed.

"Alright!" he purred, leaning over to flatten a piece of fur that was sticking up on her shoulder. "Now it's perfect."

"Thank you," she said as Sedgestar scaled the Clanrock.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather under Clanrock for a Clan meeting!" Sedgestar's voice rang out.

Frostmask raised her chin, hoping to look dignified as her clan-mates emerged from dens or stirred from their midday naps, blinking sleep out of their eyes as they padded over towards the Clanrock. Frostmask spotted Pineshade sitting next to Dampfang, opposite of her and Autumnleap. Pineshade caught her eye and gave her a friendly nod, but Frostmask just blinked and looked away, her pelt prickling. Her gaze sought out Lizardkit and his littermates instead. They were sitting sandwiched between Rowanheart and Snakeeyes, who were both giving each of them a hasty grooming. The three kits clearly knew what this meeting was about, judging by their pelts bristling in excitement. They shifted from paw to paw, hardly able to keep still.

Sedgestar looked down at his Clan with eyes that shone with pride.

"ShadowClan, we are the strongest Clan in the forest," he began. "And, nothing makes me happier than seeing our Clan grow. Today I would like to announce the making of three new apprentices! Yewkit, Lizardkit, and Featherkit, would you please step forward?"

The fur on Frostmask's shoulders rose as she sensed a murmur of discontent run through some of her clan-mates at Lizardkit's inclusion. She was immediately thrown back to her own apprentice ceremony when the same thing happened then. Frostmask's ears twitched back. Sedgestar certainly wasn't wrong about Lizardkit facing a backlash like she had.

But, Lizardkit walked to the base of the Clanrock his chin and tail held high. His short white fur had been groomed enough by his parents that it gleamed like freshly fallen snow in the sunlight. Yewkit and Featherkit stood on either of his sides, each looking equally as proud. Frostmask felt a pang as she couldn't help but notice how much Yewkit's silver striped pelt reminded her of Swoopstrike's.

Sedgestar's paws and tail began to move as he slipped into paw-signing.

"You all have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed," he said, speaking more slowly than normal so his words matched with his signs. "From this day on, until you receive your warrior names, you'll be known as Yewpaw, Lizardpaw, and Featherpaw."

"Sedgestar," Treefur's rasping voice rang out, interrupting the ceremony.

Sedgestar glanced at where the elder sat with Greytail and Flymask in front of the elder's den, his brow furrowing. Treefur dipped his head to Sedgestar.

"Forgive my interruption, but there is something that I must say," the elder rasped.

Sedgestar's tail flicked in irritation, but he nodded.

"What is it, Treefur?" Sedgestar meowed.

"Is it wise to make the deaf kit a warrior apprentice?" Treefur meowed, blinking his grey eyes. "Day to day, he could get injured by a predator that he didn't notice coming, let alone what could happen to him during a battle. When my eyesight began failing me, I chose to retire to the elders' den despite the fact that I could've served our Clan as a warrior for many more moons if I hadn't lost my sight."

A quiet murmur of support washed through the Clan at Treefur's words, although Frostmask could see Snakeeyes had her lip curled back at Treefur, seemingly only held in place by the gentle touch of Rowanheart's tail across her shoulders. Frostmask glanced over at Lizardpaw. She could see Featherpaw signing to him, explaining what was being said since he was too far away to read Treefur's mouth.

"Thank you for bringing up your concerns," Sedgestar said, even though Frostmask thought he didn't sound very thankful at all. "But, with all due respect, Treefur, losing your sight as a senior warrior is quite different than Lizardpaw being born deaf. He has been compensating for that his entire life. He has a nose sharper than anyone else here. I'm sure he could scent a dog or a badger or a fox coming long before any of us even hear it."

Treefur blinked.

"Alright, but will he be able to hunt or fight well?" Treefur asked. "How will he know if he's being quiet while he's stalking prey or while he's on a battle patrol?"

"That is something up to his mentor to teach him," Sedgestar responded cooly. "No kit leaves the nursery already knowing how to properly hunt or fight."

"But—" Treefur began.

Sedgestar raised his tail for silence.

"Enough," he said. "I have made my decision."

Treefur dipped in head respectfully. Frostmask knew that the whole Clan knew better than to argue when Sedgestar said he had made up his mind, but judging by Treefur's pinched expression, he'd be quietly complaining about it to the other elders later, out of Sedgestar's earshot.

Sedgestar glanced back down at the three apprentices.

"Yewpaw, your mentor will be Emberflower," Sedgestar said, continuing the ceremony as if there had been no interruption. "I hope she will pass down all she knows to you."

The pretty ginger warrior walked over to her grandkit, blinking kindly down at the silver tabby.

"Emberflower, you are ready to take on another apprentice. You have trained your previous apprentice, Beeclaw, excellently, and you are a patient and brave warrior," Sedgestar said, a purr in his voice as he praised his mate. "You will be the mentor of Yewpaw."

Emberflower touched her nose to Yewpaw's with a purr, and the two of them stepped aside.

Sedgestar's gaze sought out Frostmask's in the crowd.

"Lizardpaw, your mentor will be Frostmask," Sedgestar meowed. "I hope she will pass down all she know to you."

Frostmask felt a cold wave of nervousness rush through her as he clan-mates turned to look at her as she rose to her paws. But, Autumnleap gave her an encouraging purr and a nudge with his muzzle as she padded over to Lizardpaw, making sure to keep her chin held high. When she reached Lizardpaw, he blinked at her happily, a look of fierce determination in his bright blue eyes. Frostmask purred at him, feeling some of her nervousness quell as she waited for Sedgestar to finish.

"Frostmask **,** you are ready to take on an apprentice. You have received excellent training from Swoopstrike, and you have shown yourself to be determined and clever. You will be the mentor of Lizardpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to him," Sedgestar said.

Frostmask leaned in to touch her nose to Lizardpaw's, purring harder so he could feel the vibrations through his whiskers. He purred in response, his eyes shining as she pulled her head back.

"Featherpaw, your mentor will be Redclaw. I hope she will pass down all she knows to you," Sedgestar said as Redclaw padded over to the tortoiseshell apprentice.

Frostmask purred happily at the queen as she stood in front of her new apprentice.

"Redclaw, you are ready to take on another apprentice. You trained your previous apprentice, Dappledpelt, excellently, and you are a loyal and fierce warrior. You will be the mentor of Featherpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to her," Sedgestar concluded as Redclaw and Featherpaw touched noses.

"Featherpaw! Yewpaw! Lizardpaw!" The Clan chanted, although Frostmask thought it seemed a bit forced.

Sedgestar bounded off of the Clanrock, and the meeting quickly dissolved, some cats coming forward to congratulate the new apprentices while others just sulked off. Redclaw padded over to Frostmask to lick her ear encouragingly.

"Your first apprentice!" she purred. "You're going to be great. I'm glad we will get to train them together."

"I think I'll have a lot to learn from you and Emberflower," Frostmask said with a brief purr.

Redclaw glanced over at the ginger she-cat, who was with Sedgestar, Snakeeyes and Rowanheart, talking to Yewpaw, Lizardpaw, and Featherpaw for a moment.

"I'm grateful I get to spend more time with you, and my sister and her grandkits. What did I do to Sedgestar to get so lucky with this apprentice assignment?" Redclaw purred.

"He probably just knows what a talented mentor you are." Weaseltail's voice rumbled with a purr as he padded up to his mate, draping his long tail over her back.

Redclaw purred and leaned into his side as Weaseltail nodded to Frostmask.

"Congratulations to you too," he said.

"Thank you," Frostmask purred.

Snakeeyes' padded up to Frostmask then, after she had finished talking to her kits. The white queen greeted Frostmask with a purr and an affectionate head bump.

"Thank you for agreeing to train Lizardpaw," Snakeeyes said, her mismatched eyes shining with gratitude as she looked at Frostmask. "He will do well in your paws."

Frostmask dipped her head to the older warrior.

"I hope so," she said.

"I _know_ so," Snakeeyes corrected, lightly flicking Frostmask's shoulder with her tail as she padded away. "My brother taught you well."

Frostmask purred slightly, although she felt a small weight of pain settle on her chest. She wished Swoopstrike had been here to see her get her first apprentice.

Frostmask blinked, pulled out of her thoughts as Poolcloud and Autumnleap came bounding up to her. Frostmask's tail curled up happily at the sight of them. Autumnleap was gazing at her with pride in his eyes and a low purr in his throat.

"How'd you get an apprentice so fast!?" Poolcloud said, drawing her attention to him as he playfully narrowed eyes, putting on a look of suspicion. "What have you been bribing Sedgestar with, and how can I get in on it?"

Frostmask purred.

"Nothing!" she protested, but Poolcloud just looked at her doubtfully.

He jumped forward to wrap his paws around her, and Frostmask squeaked, trying to wiggle away. But, there was no escaping the strong tom, and he pulled her into a big, fluffy embrace.

"I swear!" Frostmask gasped.

"I'm not letting you go until you tell me the truth," Poolcloud threatened. "Who are you working with?!"

"No one!" Frostmask said through purrs as she struggled futilely to escape.

She shot Autumnleap a desperate look, silently asking for help. But, Autumnleap was too busy laughing at Frostmask's predicament to even try to think about helping her out of it. Poolcloud followed her gaze towards Autumnleap.

"I should've known," Poolcloud said with a mock growl, dropping Frostmask to spring at Autumnleap.

"I— HEY!" Autumnleap cried as Poolcloud tackled him, and they went rolling away.

Frostmask purred, shaking out her coat and looking after the brothers. She was wondering if she should go intervene, when out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Pineshade approaching her. Frostmask stiffened slightly.

"Hey," Pineshade meowed, giving a nod. "Congratulations on training Lizardpaw."

"Thanks," Frostmask said, glancing behind Pineshade. "Where's Dampfang?"

The question came out more accusatory than Frostmask intended, and she saw Pineshade flinch at her tone.

"He had to go out on an evening patrol," Pineshade said, her voice dropping to a mumble.

"Right. Of course. So, I guess he didn't feel like congratulating the apprentices beforehand?" Frostmask asked, her tail tip twitching.

She knew she was poking a hornets' nest, but she couldn't stop herself. The anger that she felt swirling in her belly when she thought about Dampfang spurred her on.

Pineshade narrowed her eyes at her.

"He agrees with Treefur doesn't he?" Frostmask continued. "He doesn't think Lizardpaw should be training."

Pineshade gave a sharp sigh, and she glanced from side to side before taking a pace closer to Frostmask and lowering her voice.

"Can you really blame him?" she murmured. "I know Lizardpaw is very bright, but it will be hard for any cat to be a deaf warrior. I guarantee Dampfang and Treefur aren't the only cats in the Clan that think Lizardpaw won't be able to do it."

Frostmask blinked.

 _And, what about you? Do_ **_you_** _think he'll fail? And, do you think he will fail because he's deaf, or because I'm his mentor?_

But, Frostmask didn't say her worries out loud, instead she just lashed her tail, glaring at Pineshade with hurt eyes. She couldn't help but feel like Dampfang's lack of faith in Lizardpaw and in Frostmask was something Pineshade shared. Pineshade sighed again.

"Frostmask, stop it," she muttered, dropping her gaze.

"Are you two back together?" Frostmask demanded, blurting out the question.

Pineshade clenched her jaw and lifted her gaze back to Frostmask's.

"Yes," Pineshade said, her voice soft.

Frostmask blinked, taking a step back from her.

"He's different!" Pineshade protested, following her. "Nicer. And, I made him promise, _promise,_ that he won't be mean to you. If he says anything cruel about you, I'm gone!"

"I have an apprentice to train." Frostmask forced the words out through her clenched jaw, turning away from her.

"I— Frostmask! Let's talk about this!" Pineshade said, her voice growing more frustrated.

Frostmask felt the fur down her back bristle, but she didn't turn back to her, her gaze locked on where Lizardpaw and his siblings were still sitting with Sedgestar and Emberflower. She heard Pineshade give an angry growl behind her, but then she heard her paw-steps fading as she walked away. Frostmask sighed heavily, her pelt prickling and her stomach rolling, but she tried to put on a smooth face as she approached the group. Lizardpaw perked up as Frostmask walked up to him, turning his eager gaze onto her.

 _'Are we training?'_ he asked, his paws flashing.

Frostmask's gaze flickered to Emberflower, and she spotted Redclaw padding up to the group as well.

"Well, on my first day as an apprentice, I was given a territory tour," Frostmask meowed, looking at the older warriors for guidance.

Emberflower glanced towards the sun. It was quickly dipping towards the horizon.

"Let's save starting the tour for dawn tomorrow," Emberflower meowed. "It'll take most of the day to cover all the territory, and it'll be better for the apprentices to have the tour in the light to help them develop a mental map of the land."

Frostmask nodded. That made sense.

_Then what should I do with Lizardpaw this evening?_

Frostmask opened her mouth to ask the question, but she closed it just as quickly, her pelt prickling. Sedgestar trusted her to be a mentor. She didn't want him or Emberflower or Redclaw to think she was helpless and floundering with Lizardpaw.

Sedgestar touched his muzzle to Emberflower's ear in farewell.

"I'll leave you to your training then," he meowed, getting to his paws.

He nodded goodbye to Redclaw and Frostmask, and with a swish of his tail, he turned and padded away, heading towards Grovepelt.

Emberflower glanced at Frostmask and Redclaw.

"Meet back here at dawn so we can all go on the tour together?" Emberflower asked.

"Works for me," Redclaw purred.

Frostmask nodded.

"Sure," she meowed.

She watched as Redclaw and Emberflower guided their apprentices away then, already murmuring to them, leaving only Frostmask and Lizardpaw.

Frostmask's tail swished with indecision.

"Why don't we go into the forest? We can hunt a little and then gather some moss to make your new nest in the apprentices' den?" Frostmask said distractedly, wondering what Emberflower and Redclaw were doing, and if it was better than what she just suggested.

Lizardpaw nodded eagerly, although Frostmask suspected that he would've done the same to anything she suggested.

"Great, let's get going." Frostmask signaled towards the camp exit with her tail.

In a flash, Lizardpaw took off, charging through the thorn tunnel, leaving Frostmask blinking in surprise.

"Wait for me!" she called to his back, running after him.

It was a heartbeat after the words left her mouth that she remembered Lizardpaw couldn't hear them.

Frostmask burst through the thorn tunnel, her gaze flickering around to search the forest around her. She spotted Lizardpaw not too far away. Luckily his white pelt acted like a beacon for her eyes in the darkening forest. He had stopped to sniff around the base of a tree. Frostmask trotted up to him, huffing a bit in annoyance as she flicked his shoulder with her tail to get his attention.

"You can't just run off like that," she spoke and signed. "You need to tell me what you're doing or where you're going."

 _'Sorry,'_ Lizardkit signed quickly, but he still seemed distracted.

His wide eyes were roving the forest around them, taking everything in, and his nose twitched constantly as he inhaled in the scents of the woods. Frostmask twitched her tail, trying not to hold his distraction against him. The multitudes of scents that must be barraging him at the moment may almost be overwhelming for his sensitive nose.

"Well… it's okay," Frostmask meowed. "Just try not to let it happen again, please."

Lizardpaw nodded.

"Um… do you smell any prey nearby?" Frostmask asked.

 _'No.'_ Lizardpaw shook his head.

"Let's head in the direction of the ThunderClan border. But, stay with me this time."

The two of them padded in silence through the forest for a bit, and Frostmask couldn't stop her mind from wandering back to her argument with Pineshade about Dampfang. She felt her shoulders stiffen as the anger came back to her.

_Pineshade's being such a frog-brain! Dampfang's only nice when he has something to gain from it. He couldn't be different now… right?_

Frostmask lashed her tail.

 _No._ She hardened her resolve. _Pineshade will see soon enough. Dampfang will slip up, because he's_ ** _Dampfang_** _, and she'll have her sense knocked back into her…_

Frostmask was pulled out of her silent fuming as Lizardpaw suddenly stopped, raising his muzzle.

 _'Mouse,'_ Lizardpaw signed, his eyes bright with excitement.

Frostmask drew the air over her tongue. She wasn't able to scent any prey, but she trusted Lizardpaw's nose.

"Great catch. I can't even scent it yet," Frostmask said, shoving thoughts about Dampfang away. "We can track it down, but why don't you show me your hunting crouch first…"

Frostmask's voice trailed off as she realized Lizardpaw had already wandered a few tail-lengths away from her, nose to the air as he tracked the mouse scent.

 _'Lizardpaw,'_ she signed, trying to catch his attention, but he wasn't looking at her.

Frostmask's brow furrowed, feeling a spark of frustration run through her pelt.

How was she supposed to train Lizardpaw, if he wouldn't even pay attention to her!

Both she and him would fail… just like how Dampfang and the others suspected.

She lashed her tail.

_What would Swoopstrike do if he was me?_

It was easy to imagine Swoopstrike's snarling voice in her mind.

_"Focus up frog-brain, or you'll be going to your nest hungry tonight, and the only patrol you'll be put on is for moss for a moon!"_

Frostmask sighed quietly to herself. Swoopstrike may have said that, but she wasn't him. And, she didn't think it's do Lizardpaw _or her_ any good by her acting like a cat she wasn't.

Frostmask stomped a paw on the ground sending vibrations running through the earth, and Lizardpaw twisted his head around to look at her. Frostmask gestured him over to her. He came padding up to her, his tail raised high questioningly. Frostmask took a deep breath as she tried to sort out what she wanted to say.

"Lizardpaw," she began, signing and speaking. "It is very important that you pay attention to this training. We need to be able to—"

Lizardpaw had been watching her intently at the beginning of the sentence, but his gaze had already began to drift away from her by the end, so now he was staring back out into the forest.

Frostmask felt a rush of hot irritation run through her, and she slammed her paw to the ground to get his attention again, but this time she did it half out of frustration. Lizardpaw's eyes snapped back to her.

"Don't you get it?" she growled, her tail lashing. "I'm your mentor; you need to listen to me! You know what Treefur said back there! There are cats that don't believe you can do this, that _we_ can't do this. Do you want to prove them right?!"

Lizardpaw was gazing at her with wide eyes; his ears flat against his head. Frostmask felt her anger fizzle out as a heavy weight of guilt dropped down into her stomach. She wasn't sure how much of that outburst Lizardpaw had caught just from lip-reading, since she hadn't been signing. But, from the look on his face, it must have been enough.

She knew she wouldn't snapped at him if she hadn't let her anger with Pineshade and Dampfang get the better of her. Frostmask's ears flattened down.

She shouldn't be taking her frustration with them out on him. Lizardpaw had nothing to do with it.

"I'm sorry," Frostmask said along with paw-signs, but Lizardpaw had looked away from her.

He was gazing stiffly down at his paws, his eyes blinking hard. Frostmask reached a paw out and gently touched his side so his gaze flickered up.

 _'I'm sorry,'_ Frostmask signed very deliberately. _'I know you want to be a warrior. I want you to be a warrior too. And, I'm sorry I got mad. I got into a fight with Pineshade today…'_

Frostmask trailed off and waved off the rest of that thought.

"But, that doesn't matter," she continued, speaking again with her signs. "I shouldn't take my anger out on you. Let's try to be a team alright? We need to learn how to listen to each other."

Lizardpaw nodded.

 _'I'm sorry too,'_ he signed, his wide blue eyes earnest. _'I'll try harder to pay attention. I really want to be a warrior. I don't want them to be right.'_

Frostmask rasped her tongue over his forehead, hoping he could feel the vibrations of her purr in her throat.

 _'Don't worry.'_ she signed. _'We'll show them.'_


	26. A Winter Chill

Frostmask shivered as the icy winter breeze cut through the clearing like a claw. She cast a glance up at the dark sky. She hoped that once the sun rose above the horizon, its weak rays would help warm the forest up a bit.

Frostmask didn't like leaf-bare. The cold stirred up dark, half-forgotten memories in her mind. The pang of a hollow belly. The sting of icy crystals forming in her fur around her nose and eyes. The wailing mewls of her brothers in her ears as they starved to death around her. The frigid trek through a forest of white and ice, her tiny paws cracked and bleeding, leaving a trail of crimson through the snow behind her, but she continued to stumble along because her mother said she must…

Frostmask jerked, giving her head a hard shake like she was trying to dislodge her memories. She shuddered and blinked hard, bringing herself back to the present.

_Think about what's happening now. How lucky we are._

Prey was getting harder to find, but Frostmask's belly wasn't empty. ShadowClan wasn't starving. There wasn't even snow on the ground yet. It was cold out, and the ground was hard and frozen under her feet instead of the damp, flexible and sometimes outright boggy texture that she had gotten used to for the past several moons. But, at least she wasn't walking through knee-high snow, slush, and ice.

Frostmask's ears pricked, and she was pulled out of her thoughts.

She listened closely, but she couldn't consciously make out any suspicious noises, just the sound of the wind through the trees. Still… she felt the fur on her shoulders prickle anyway. She sensed something was nearby. Her gaze flittered around the dark woods that surrounded her, encircling the mossy clearing she stood in. She blinked as she saw Lizardpaw's bright white pelt appear out of the corner of her eye. He stood out starkly in the darkness as he came prowling around the trunk of the Burnt Sycamore to stand at her side, the Burnt Sycamore at their backs.

Frostmask's ears twitched, and they angled in the direction of another sound in the woods. She identified the noise this time. A snapping twig. Someone was definitely there. Frostmask turned to meander around the clearing, and she glanced over at Lizardpaw. His eyes were trained in the same direction that her ears had pointed in, tracing a path out into the woods.

Then Lizardpaw was slinking off, his body pressed as low as possible to the frozen ground. Despite the black night that the forest was cloaked in, his white color actually blended in well to the grey-white of the icy moss that coated the clearing floor. Frostmask continued to patrol around the Burnt Sycamore, keeping her eyes away from Lizardpaw to not give away his position.

By the time Frostmask made a full circuit around the tree, Lizardpaw was gone, having vanished into the forest. Frostmask was halfway around the clearing again when she heard a yelp.

 _"Snake-dung!"_ Featherpaw's annoyed voice called out through the forest.

Frostmask's tail lifted, and she couldn't stop a soft purr from rumbling in her throat. She headed over in the direction of the cry, waiting by the edge of the clearing where it came from. She heard the sound of paw-steps rushing over. Lizardpaw came bounding out of the dark woods first, his blue eyes shining and his tail held high in triumph. His sister, Featherpaw, emerged a moment later, looking sulky. And, finally came Redclaw, who just shook her head in amusement when she took in the very different expressions on the siblings faces.

"It's not fair," Featherpaw complained to Lizardpaw. "How'd you find me? I disguised my scent and _everything."_

 _'You made a noise,'_ Lizardpaw signed. ' _Then I saw you.'_

Featherpaw scowled at him.

"How did you know I made a noise?" she asked. "Redclaw and Frostmask were just supposed to give advice about planning the attack or defense of the Burnt Sycamore, not help us find each other. Were you cheating?!"

"Frostmask didn't tell him anything, but I think her twitching ears gave you away," Sedgestar's voice cut in as their leader padded over from where he had been observing the exercise at the edge of the clearing.

Frostmask flattened her ears to her head.

"Sorry," she meowed. "I didn't even think about that."

Sedgestar rumbled a brief purr.

"It's alright. You and Lizardpaw didn't break any rules. I told you not to talk to your apprentices to help them find each other, and you didn't. Even I didn't anticipate twitching ears betraying someone's position," Sedgestar said before turning to Lizardpaw.

"You are more observant than I expected," he said with a purr.

Lizardpaw puffed up his chest. Frostmask gazed at him proudly, happy with how well he did at this test. He'd won two of the four rounds, one for the offensive and one for the defensive of the tree. Frostmask had feared that Featherpaw's hearing would've given her a large edge over him, but Lizardpaw had managed to hold his own against his sister. They had been training together for about a moon now, and Frostmask felt like she and Lizardpaw were finally establishing a good rhythm as a team.

Sedgestar glanced up at the sky. The horizon hadn't lightened yet, but Frostmask suspected dawn couldn't be too far off.

"But, that's enough of 'Sycamore Defense' for the night. Let's head back to camp," Sedgestar meowed before glancing at both Lizardpaw and Featherpaw. "You both did well."

Featherpaw's annoyance at being beaten this last round had already faded, and she and Lizardpaw nudged and wrestled together good-naturedly as the five cats headed back towards camp.

"The energy of those kits!" Redclaw purred to Frostmask as they walked. "I don't know how they do it. I'm definitely ready to collapse in my nest and take a nice long nap until after sunrise."

Frostmask purred in agreement, casting a glance over at Lizardpaw, who was now bounding ahead of the group. He had gone through a brief growth spurt in the past moon, and he was taller than Frostmask now, but thin and gangly— all legs and tail. Frostmask glanced at Sedgestar. He, Lizardpaw, and Rowanheart all shared the same long-legged, lanky form.

They reached the dense thorn barrier that encircled the camp, and they ducked through the tunnel. Frostmask's ears pricked at the sound of coughing echoing through the camp as she emerged into the clearing. An outbreak of whitecough had appeared in the elders' den, and she knew Clearstream and Elmclaw were working hard to contain it before it could spread and turn into its much more deadly brother— greencough. Anyone that had so much as a sniffle was confined to the medicine cat's den for a few days for monitoring. So far, whitecough had marked Greytail and Flymask, as well as Buzzardkit, and just yesterday Frostmask thought she saw little Cricketkit coughing too.

Frostmask's tail twitched as she thought of those kittens' family. Poor Dawntail was a mess. The medicine cats had gently forbade her from entering the den as to not spread the cough to her healthy kits, but for the past few days, she'd seen the queen often staring longingly into the cave from the outside, as Elmclaw carried the fresh-kill she brought for the kits in for her.

Frostmask shook her head to try to shake off the grim thoughts. The medicine cats' plan of containment seemed to be working at least, and so far the cough hadn't spread into the apprentices' or warriors' den.

Frostmask turned to Lizardpaw.

"You should go get something to eat," she said and signed. "Then you can nap a bit if you want, and we'll resume training after sunrise. You did very well tonight."

 _'Are the elders and queens fed?'_ Lizardpaw asked.

"They should've been by Yewpaw," Frostmask replied, giving a tail flick. "Go on now, I can hear your stomach growling."

 _'Well, I can't.'_ Lizardpaw responded with a cheeky look, but he trotted over to the fresh-kill pile as Frostmask sent him off with a good-natured swat at his tail.

After Lizardpaw padded off, Sedgestar turned to Frostmask.

"Frostmask, can I talk to you for a moment?" he meowed.

She nodded, curiosity pricking at her as her leader took a seat next to her while Redclaw and Featherpaw padded away.

"I was wondering if you would allow me to train with Lizardpaw for the rest of the day," he said. "I'm glad I got to observe the exercise, but I would like to assess firsthand how his progress is coming along."

Frostmask felt her stomach clench with unease.

_Does he not trust me to train him well?_

"It has nothing to with you," Sedgestar continued as if he could read her thoughts on her face. "You know Lizardpaw's training is a unique case. I just want to make sure he's on track."

"Well… he's a great hunter," Frostmask meowed. "Sometimes it seems like he can pick out a single mouse scent from halfway across the forest. Although, you might have to remind him sometimes to put his paws down more lightly when he's stalking prey. And, he can also get distracted a bit at times from scents and lose focus on what you're saying to him…"

Sedgestar nodded, his expression thoughtful.

"Do you want me to come with you two?" Frostmask asked.

"I'd like to take him alone, if that's alright with you," Sedgestar meowed.

Frostmask's whiskers drooped slightly, but Sedgestar touched his tail to her side.

"I want to see how he does without your help," he explained. "I've heard from Emberflower how well you two work together, and if tonight's exercise is any indication, he must often read your body language for cues to help him locate things when he can't hear them himself. Not that there's anything wrong with that, of course, but there will be times when he won't have you in sight to help him. He will have to rely on other cats, or on just himself."

Frostmask nodded.

"Alright," she meowed. "What should I do today then?"

Sedgestar's whiskers twitched.

"Go hunting or patrolling with your friends?" he suggested. "You've been spending a lot of time with Lizardpaw; I'm sure Autumnleap, Pineshade, and Poolcloud miss having you around more often."

Her ears twitched as her paws prickled at the mention of Pineshade. She wondered if Sedgestar knew about the falling out she had with her at Lizardpaw's apprentice ceremony. They had hardly talked since. Or, at least, Frostmask had hardly talked to her. Pineshade has made a few attempts, but Frostmask always found an excuse to get away.

"Yes, Sedgestar," she murmured, dipping her head.

With a nod of farewell, Sedgestar got to his paws and padded over to Lizardpaw to tell him about his training for the day.

Frostmask rose to her paws to head to her nest for a nap, and her gaze flickered around camp. Her eyes settled on Pineshade's dark pelt as Frostmask spotted her eating a mouse by Clanrock, and she hesitated.

Maybe this would be a good time for Frostmask to try to extend a branch of peace by inviting her to hunt with her today. Frostmask's ears twitched. She'd be lying if she said that she didn't miss spending time with Pineshade. Even though Frostmask still had other friends, losing both Pineshade's company and Swoopstrike's so close together left an aching hollow in her chest. It was a profound sense of loneliness that she hadn't experienced since she was a misfit, outcasted kit.

Was she being too harsh on Pineshade? She _had_ said that she would leave Dampfang if he was mean to Frostmask. And, to her and Dampfang's credit, for the past moon, he had been completely tolerable to Frostmask. Not that either Frostmask or Dampfang were going out of their way to be friendly or chatty, but the few times that Frostmask and him had been forced on patrol together, he just chose not to speak to her. But, he didn't spend the whole time sneering or glowering at her either. He simply acted like she and Lizardpaw didn't exist, but that was fine with Frostmask. Maybe the best she could ask for.

Frostmask sighed softly, her heart twisting.

She knew Pineshade thought she was being unfair and pushing her away. But, Frostmask knew it was the opposite. It was Pineshade's fault. She was the one that chose to drive Frostmask away by picking _him._ She left her. Just when they were finally real friends.

Frostmask blinked, gripping the cold ground under her paws.

Could she accept that? Could she still be friends with Pineshade, knowing that Pineshade chose someone that hurt Frostmask, over choosing her?

Pineshade's eyes lifted from her meal as if she could feel the heat of Frostmask's gaze on her pelt. Her amber gaze met Frostmask's blue one. For a heartbeat, Frostmask thought about walking over to her. But, her legs didn't move. Pineshade slowly lowered her gaze back down to her food, her head bowed in what looked like dejection. Frostmask's tail twitched guiltily, but she turned away from her.

Frostmask ducked into the warriors' den, padding slowly over to her nest. Her gaze flitted over where Pineshade's new nest was— away from hers and next to Dampfang's. But, she shook her head slightly, telling herself not to think about that as she turned her gaze onto Autumnleap's fluffy auburn and white pelt instead.

Frostmask flopped into her nest next to Autumnleap, and he rumbled a sleepy purr as her flank brushed his as she settled in. But, he quickly nodded off, back into a deeper sleep. Frostmask washed her face briefly before closing her eyes and drifting in an uneasy sleep.

Frostmask woke up around midmorning, judging by the light streaming into the den entrance. She yawned and then rolled over to face Autumnleap's board back. He was still curled up, sleeping peacefully.

She gave his side a light touch with a paw, but he just shrugged it off, muttering something unintelligible. A quiet purr started to build in Frostmask's throat, and she felt some playful energy chase away the rest of her sleepiness. Frostmask kneaded her paws into Autumnleap's shoulders, trying to wake him.

Autumnleap twitched, but didn't rouse. Frostmask let a hint of her claws slip out, not enough to hurt him, just enough to prick a little.

"I— huh— wha'?" Autumnleap jerked, and Frostmask pulled her paws back, purring louder.

His gaze blinked open blearily, and he yawned, stretching his paws out in front of him. He rolled over to face her, his cheek still pressed against the moss.

"Hey Frostmask, wha's up?" he mumbled, blinking up at her sleepily.

She tilted her head as she looked down at him.

"Want to come hunting with me?" Frostmask meowed. "Sedgestar is training Lizardpaw today to evaluate his progress, so I'm looking for something to do."

"I'm honored you've chosen me to be the cat you waste your day with," Autumnleap meowed in a very solemn voice, lifting himself into a sitting position and giving his pelt a shake as if to dislodge his grogginess.

Frostmask purred.

"I pick only the finest when it comes to squandering time," Frostmask said, her voice just as serious.

Autumnleap yawned again and slipped into another stretch. Frostmask rose to her paws, and flicked his flank with her tail.

"Let's get going." Her paws itched to start the day, and she turned, heading to the den's exit.

"You're doing this wrong," Autumnleap said with a purr, trotting behind her to catch up. "There's no rush when you're wasting time."

* * *

They ate a quick meal, then headed out into the territory, heading through the pine forest at a brisk trot to keep their muscles warm. They caught a couple of mice each as they chatted with each other about nothing in particular. The sun was creeping higher in the sky as they passed through the marsh in the direction of the WindClan border.

Frostmask couldn't help but feel a pang in her chest as she glanced at what leaf-bare had done to the marsh. What had been almost overflowing with life and bursting with color in green-leaf was now totally still and desaturated. The sycamores had lost their leaves, and the grasses and flowers had all dried up and died, so only brown skeletons of them remained. The icy ground was grey and hard under her paws, and the reeds didn't stir with water birds, frogs, salamanders, and insects.

As Frostmask and Autumnleap entered back into the evergreen pine forest, Frostmask glanced up at the trees, grateful that they still looked just the same as ever.

"How's training Lizardpaw going?" Autumnleap meowed as they padded along.

"Great!" Frostmask said with a purr. "I just hope I'm doing a good job at mentoring him."

"I'm sure you are," Autumnleap said with a reassuring blink. "What's it been like?"

"Well he's very clever and a fast learner," Frostmask meowed. "Just as long as he's paying attention. He gets distracted pretty easily by sights or scents. Then he acts like 'oh I _didn't know_ you were telling me something because I'm deaf' but I know he's lying, the little snake-heart."

"He sounds like a pawful," Autumnleap said with a soft purr.

"Aw, he's really not," Frostmask said, laughing. "He just thinks it's fun to get a rise out of me sometimes."

Frostmask flicked Autumnleap's flank with her tail.

"Reminds me of someone else I know, actually," she meowed drily, shooting him a look out of the corner of her eyes.

She expected Autumnleap to retort back then, but he just gave a soft, almost forced purr. Frostmask's brow furrowed, and she turned her head to study him a bit more closely. He seemed like he was nervous for some reason, his ears twitching uncomfortably every few heartbeats.

"Hey, are you okay?" Frostmask meowed. "Something bothering you?"

Autumnleap kept his eyes staring forward for a heartbeat longer before his gaze flickered to hers, and he looked at her intently for a long moment. Frostmask returned his gaze curiously, tilting her head at him.

"Um, kinda," he admitted quietly, his gaze breaking from hers again. "It's just something that I've been wanting to talk to you about."

"What is it?" she asked, her mind filtering through the events of the past moon as she tried to pick out the possibilities.

Her ears twitched back. Was it because she was fighting with Pineshade? Did Autumnleap want them to make up? Or, was it something else entirely? Had something happened to Autumnleap that she missed while she'd been training Lizardpaw?

Autumnleap's eyes made contact with hers again, and he studied her.

"Do you really not know?" he murmured in a low voice.

Frostmask's brow furrowed deeper. Her first instinct was to say ' _no,'_ but as she looked into his steady gaze, she felt a shiver run up her spine. It was the same weird feeling that Frostmask had gotten about a moon ago when she and Autumnleap had been on SkyClan territory together.

It was a strange, frightening, and breathless emotion—a fusion between excitement and trepidation.

A current of unease dragged at Frostmask's paws, and she noticed her pads becoming damp with anxious moisture. She felt much more comfortable with pushing the feeling away and ignoring it, than having to peer more closely at what was inside.

"I- uh…" Frostmask said awkwardly, her tail twitching. "Oh look, squirrel scent! Let's find it."

Frostmask felt a strong rush of gratitude for the distraction, and she veered away from Autumnleap, putting her nose to the ground to follow the scent.

"Frostmask, wait! Wait!" Autumnleap yowled, bounding up to her and touching his tail tip to her shoulder. "Stop it. I really do need to talk to you."

His voice was insistent. Frostmask's tail twitched with unease, but she allowed him to slow her to a stop.

"Does it have to be now?" she protested lamely. "That squirrel seems close."

Autumnleap looked completely bewildered as he gazed at her.

"What are you doing? Why are you being like this?" he meowed.

"Being like… what?" Frostmask attempted.

She knew she couldn't keep the facade of ignorance up much longer. Autumnleap let out a huff that sounded half amused and half exasperated.

"Nice try, but I know you're smarter than that," Autumnleap said.

Frostmask stilled. Silence fell over her, and her ears twisted back as the rest of her protests dried up in her mouth. Autumnleap was always a stubborn cat when he had something locked in his mind, and it was clear she wouldn't be able to so easily steer him away from this conversation.

"I really need to talk to you," Autumnleap repeated, his voice becoming low and quiet. "Needed to for a while. But, it's been hard…"

"Autumnleap," Frostmask said, but Autumnleap gave his head a sharp shake, holding up a paw.

"Let me finish. _Please."_

His gaze was serious when it met hers.

Frostmask nodded, feeling a rush of guilt about how much she really _didn't_ want him to continue, when it was so clear that it meant so much to him that he did. Autumnleap paused for a moment just to let his gaze search hers, and she saw nervousness wash over his expression again.

"It's- uh- It's been hard because there's been just so much going on with SkyClan. Swoopstrike… And, now Lizardpaw. And, I've been just nervous about it myself, which makes it easy to put off. Like, until 'the time is right.'"

He shuffled his paws.

"But, I realized that I can't keep waiting for the perfect time to talk about it because there will never be a _perfect_ time to…"

"But, does that time have to be _now?"_ Frostmask burst out, unable to stop herself from speaking again. "Can't it be some other day?"

Frostmask's stomach swirled as if she had swallowed a whole flock of moths, and her pads felt clammy. Autumnleap studied her, his expression becoming a bit confused and hurt.

"Why do you keep trying to stop or distract me?" he meowed as he drew away from her slightly, his brow furrowed.

Frostmask felt a sharp jolt in her chest at the look of pain in his eyes.

_Snake-dung! I didn't want to hurt his feelings._

"I'm sorry." Frostmask's ears flattened against her head. "I just—"

"Don't you care about what I have to say?" His voice was hot with accusation as his tail twitched. "You're supposed to be my friend."

Frostmask's eyes widened.

"I am your friend!" she said, giving a soft gasp at the insinuation otherwise.

She stared at Autumnleap. He was still glaring at her with hurt eyes, his auburn and white form stiff. His chin jutted out in a stubborn way as he sulked, not satisfied with her response.

"You're my _best_ _friend,"_ she emphasized, digging her claws into the ground. "And, that's just it! I can't… _We_ don't need to talk about anything. Why can't we just, you know, keep things normal?"

"I don't want to keep going on like this," Autumnleap muttered, his voice low.

"What? What's wrong with normal? Why not?" Frostmask pressed, taking a step towards him.

He dug his feet into the ground, the fur down his back rippling.

 _"Because I love you!"_ Autumnleap snapped, fire burning in his amber eyes. "I always have!"

Frostmask froze.

Someone could've dumped a whole river of icy water on her head at then, and she wouldn't have even twitched a whisker. Her heart hammered underneath her rib cage like it was a trapped bird, frantically flapping its wings to escape. She couldn't make sense of the maelstrom of emotions that swirled inside her stomach, or the jumbled thoughts in her head. But, she did recognize the feeling of mounting panic building in her muscles.

She tried in vain to swallow several times, but her mouth had suddenly gone as dry as sand.

Autumnleap stared at her rigid form as the moments stretched on.

 _"StarClan,_ Frostmask! Say something!" he exclaimed, his tail lashing in agitation.

In his eyes, Frostmask could make out a mixture of fear, worry, and a dash of hope. Frostmask's jaw clenched.

The emotions inside her were too overwhelming.

"I- I can't." Frostmask's voice rasped in the back of her throat, her eyes as wide as an owl's.

The confusion was palpable on Autumnleap's face as he blinked at her rapidly.

"You… can't?" he echoed. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Her lip quavered.

"I can't!" she wailed. "I'm sorry!"

Frostmask suddenly found herself able to move again as she whipped around. Her paws took off, carrying her away from him without thinking about where she wanted to go. Running just felt right. Like if she went fast enough, she'd be able to outstrip the new, frightening, overwhelming feelings, the hurt look on Autumnleap's face, and the rest of this entire situation.

"Frostmask! Stop! Wait!" Autumnleap cried from behind her, but Frostmask just doubled down on her speed.

She felt her heart breaking when she thought about how this must be hurting him, but she couldn't face him. Not right now.

Frostmask was able to out-sprint Autumnleap enough that she could no longer see him behind her in the woods, but she knew him well enough to know that he was surely still following her. Frostmask leapt onto the trunk of a nearby pine tree, scrambling far enough up the tree to hide herself in the dense pine needles. Her paws trembled as she crouched there, panting. Soon enough she heard Autumnleap's paw-steps as he ran over, searching for her in the woods.

"Frostmask!" he was still calling, his voice full of sorrow. "Frostmask, please come back!"

Frostmask screwed her eyes shut, shaking harder. A part of her wanted nothing more than to leap out of the tree, run over to him, apologize, and bury her face in his familiar pelt. But, the other part of her kept her hidden in the tree because it knew that desire was exactly the problem. She dug her claws into the branch, feeling a sudden jolt of anger.

 _Why did he have to say those things!_ _Now things between us will be changed forever! I've lost my best friend!_

But, the other part of her mind rallied against those thoughts.

_That's not true! He's still the same cat! If there's anyone ruining the friendship, it's me by being horrible and hiding from him!_

_..._

_And, besides… I am really sure that I don't love him back?_

Frostmask felt another rush of panic at the thought, which almost sent her fleeing again, but she dug her claws into the bark to keep herself in place.

 _I can't! I can't! He's my best friend, so I already love him. But, I can't really_ **_love_ ** _him!_

But, against her will, an image started to form in her mind of her and Autumnleap lounging around the camp together, sharing tongues. On the surface it wasn't an unusual scene; really, it was something they did all the time. But, this time there was something different about it. There was a different note to Frostmask's purr as she bumped her head against Autumnleap's, and she felt a thrill in her chest when he rubbed his muzzle under her chin before resting his cheek on her paws with a contented sigh.

Frostmask jerked, coming back to herself as her mind shifted suddenly to much darker thoughts. She remembered the icy dread and gut-wrenching pain she felt both when she woke up to May's stiff and cold body at her side and saw Swoopstrike's corpse lying in the center of camp.

She started to feel ill to her stomach as she imagined Autumnleap dead instead. It wasn't hard to picture. She had already seen him torn open, limp and bleeding. But, this time, when her gaze frantically searched him for signs of life, his flanks would be still instead of rising and falling.

Frostmask clenched her jaw, shaking like a leaf. She'd already told Autumnleap how she couldn't lose him too, and that was when she just thought of him as her best friend. So, she _can't_ really love him… because if she did, then losing him might actually destroy her completely.

Frostmask flattened her ears, trying to block out the sounds of Autumnleap's repeated calls for her as she did her best to curl up in a tiny ball on the branch. She didn't know what to do. She just knew this was all too much for her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! I just wanted to pop in and say, as I mentioned at the beginning of this fic, I've been cross-posting my publish chapters here on AO3 from another site, and as of 6/26/20, this is the last of my currently published chapters. This means my updates will be slower from here on out since I am still working on writing/editing in the next chapters :)  
> Also, I wanted to give a HUGE thank you to everyone who has been reading! It's awesome that you've been enjoying it, and I love hearing your thoughts about the story in the comments.


	27. So that you might hear me

The sky was a mask of soft grey clouds, blocking out the rising sun, and the first snow of the season was drifting down to blanket the forest floor when Sedgestar called the clan-meeting. Frostmask sat next to Lizardpaw in front of the holly bush that formed the apprentices' den as the clan gathered. She kept her gaze upturned towards Sedgestar on Clanrock to stop her eyes from wandering to a familiar dark ginger pelt across camp.

Frostmask's stomach flipped, her jaw clenching at just the thought of _him._ After the disaster in the woods a quarter moon ago, Frostmask had been so horribly embarrassed, and she still was, truthfully. The entire situation was so awkward that it made her want to crawl out of her own pelt, but she had known that no matter what she was feeling, she had to apologize. So, she'd sought him out afterwards and that's what she did.

But, Autumnleap had been so upset. He _was_ so upset. He didn't act like it. He didn't seem angry. He hadn't even raised his voice at all when Frostmask had told him that she was sorry. She had tried to read the emotions in his eyes then, but they were carefully blank. All he had said was "It's fine," without meeting her gaze, and somehow those two words hurt her more than any yowls could.

 _Frog-brain!_ Frostmask scolded herself, digging her claws into the ground.

Her heart twisted in pain. She wished she hadn't been such a mouse-heart. Running away from him seemed like the worst thing she could've done in that moment. And, she wished that she wasn't _still_ being so cowardly now. For the past few days, she'd been throwing herself into training Lizardpaw to avoid him. The only time when she and Autumnleap were even close physically was when they were sleeping in the warriors' den together. And, even then, their pelts no longer brushed.

Frostmask exhaled sharply through her nose. She felt like a dark cloud hung over her head, turning the world around her gloomy and grey, but she didn't know what to do, or who to turn to, or how to fix it! Without Autumnleap, who did she have left really? Swoopstrike was gone…

Frostmask's ears flattened. Lizardpaw noticed her expression and shot her a concerned look.

 _'You okay?'_ he signed.

Frostmask blinked, then tried to refocus herself, jerking her head like she was shaking off cold water. She nodded to Lizardpaw and started listening to Sedgestar, who had been speaking for the past several moments.

Frostmask blinked in surprise as she realized that, absorbed in her thoughts, she had missed most of the clan meeting. She shook her ears and forced herself to pay attention.

Mosspounce and Murmurstep had just been made warriors in a clan meeting the evening before, and Sedgestar was following that up with another ceremony this morning. He was now making Buzzardkit, Cedarkit, Cricketkit, and Hollowkit apprentices. Cricketkit had recently recovered from her fit of whitecough, but Buzzardkit was still sick, along with some of the elders. So, although he was getting his mentor today, he still wouldn't be able to start training until he was fully healed.

It looked like Buzzardpaw had already been assigned Kestrelmoon as his mentor, judging by the way the two were sitting close to each other. Buzzardpaw had been allowed to sit outside the medicine cat's den entrance at the base of Clanrock, but Frostmask felt a pang of worry about how weak he looked. His posture was hunched over and his eyes were ringed with red and swollen up, although his expression seemed happy for himself and his littermates. Hollowpaw was sitting next to Rowanheart, who must be her mentor. And, Cedarpaw next to Dampfang…

_Dampfang!_

Frostmask felt the fur on her shoulders rise, but she gave her head a sharp shake, and glanced over to Cricketpaw, the last ceremony.

"—Pineshade **,** you are ready to take on an apprentice. You have received excellent training from Grovepelt, and you have shown yourself to be intelligent and brave. You will be the mentor of Cricketpaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to her," Sedgestar said.

Frostmask blinked in surprise. But, as Pineshade walked over to the grey-and-cream tortoiseshell, Frostmask couldn't help but purring softly. Pineshade's amber eyes were bright and eager as she touched noses with the small statured Cricketpaw.

_Pineshade will be a good mentor._

"Buzzardpaw! Hollowpaw! Cedarpaw! Cricketpaw!" The clan cheered, and Frostmask along with them.

"Stay on the look out for sickness, everyone," Sedgestar meowed to conclude the ceremony. "We still have whitecough in the camp, and we don't want it spreading around to everyone. If you are feeling bad, please go see Clearstream or Elmclaw."

Sedgestar bounded down from the Clanrock, dislodging the little bit of snow that had collected on his pelt as he sat. As cats began to pad away, the clan meeting over, Frostmask rose to her paws and hesitated.

_Should I go congratulate Pineshade?_

Frostmask glanced in her direction. Poolcloud, Redclaw, Weaseltail, Grovepelt, and Autumnleap were over there now, surrounding her and chatting happily. Frostmask felt her heart fall down to her stomach as she glanced at Autumnleap, and she ducked her face away from them, her ears flattening. Frostmask started to turn away when she heard a voice call her name.

"Frostmask."

Her ears pricked back up in surprise. It was Grovepelt.

He was padding over to her from Pineshade. Frostmask turned to the deputy, dipping her head to him respectfully. But, when she glanced back up, she couldn't stop her brow from furrowing in concern when she notice he was walking with a slight limp.

"Hi Grovepelt, how are you doing?" Frostmask meowed.

Grovepelt's whiskers twitched faintly.

"You're asking about my limp?" he said.

Frostmask's ears began to heat in embarrassment that he had so easily seen through her question, but Grovepelt just shook his head.

"No, no it's alright," he said with a brief purr. "This weather has just got my joints feeling stiff, that's all."

Frostmask nodded, and Grovepelt tilted his head to study her, his green eyes kind.

"Anyway though, I came over here to check on you, not for you to check on me. Is everything alright?" he meowed.

"Oh! Uh—" Frostmask said, her eyes widening in surprise. "Yeah, um, everything is fine. Lizardpaw's training is going well…"

Grovepelt shook his head, gently interrupting her.

"I wasn't asking about Lizardpaw," he meowed. "I was asking about you."

Frostmask felt her stomach flip with nerves, and Grovepelt turned to Lizardpaw.

"Why don't you go get some breakfast?" he meowed to the apprentice. "I'm just going to talk to Frostmask for a bit."

Lizardpaw's eyes were round with curiosity, but he nodded obediently to the deputy, turning and padding off to the fresh-kill pile. Grovepelt inclined his head towards some shelter from the snow that the branches of the holly bush offered.

"Let's get out of this weather," he said, his voice genial. "This snow's not doing my joints any favors."

Frostmask nodded and trailed after him as he led her to the clear patch of ground, her tail dragging on the snow. She couldn't help but feeling like she was a wayward apprentice about to be scolded. But, it was nice to be out of the wet snow for a bit as they settled in under the holly branches.

"You seem sad, Frostmask," Grovepelt meowed, not missing a beat.

Frostmask blinked in surprise at the blunt statement, but Grovepelt's voice was gentle and concerned, not accusatory. Frostmask stared down at the ground and shrugged half-heartedly.

"I haven't been in the best mood for the past couple moons," she muttered the admission at her paws.

"I know losing Swoopstrike must be hard for you," Grovepelt empathized in a quiet voice.

Frostmask's ears went flat against her head as her stomach twisted. The last thing she wanted to dwell on right now with everything else going on was how much she missed her mentor. Grovepelt gave a small nod as if to accept her silence.

"I know how difficult grief can be. I'm not a stranger to loss either… I was a young cat when my mate died."

Grovepelt's voice was so soft Frostmask almost thought she could've imagined it. But, when she glanced over at him, he was gazing out into the camp with green eyes that welled with grief, as if he was talking about a tragedy that happened only yesterday, and not something seasons upon seasons ago.

"Her name was Honeyfall," Grovepelt murmured the name with such sorrow and tenderness, Frostmask's heart clenched painfully for him. "And, I loved her and our kits more than life itself. But, I was a different cat back then, as a young warrior. Brash, reckless, fearless."

Grovepelt shook his head.

"And, so very foolish," he said, growling the words out if he was cursing himself. "She died during a ThunderClan raid. A tragic accident, but I couldn't accept that at the time. I was filled with thoughts of vengeance. I tried to talk our leader into striking back at ThunderClan in revenge. She refused me, wisely so, but I did it anyway. I went behind her back, and I gathered up a group of hotheaded warriors like myself… including my kits, Cardinalstripe and Juniperhaze. StarClan, they were so young… Younger than you are now. They had just gotten their warrior names, and they wanted revenge for the death of their mother as I did. But, now I think that they were doing it mostly to please me. If I had not been so consumed by revenge then they—"

Grovepelt paused to inhale a long, deep breath, as if he was bracing himself for what came next.

"Our attack on ThunderClan was a disaster," he muttered the words in a low voice. "Cardinalstripe and Juniperhaze were killed. Cardinalstripe during the battle, and Juniperhaze the next morning from her wounds… Afterwards I wanted to die. I thought StarClan had kept me alive as a punishment for my behavior, for breaking the Warrior Code, and every night I would lie awake, wishing that they let me be killed too. It would've been easier than living with the suffering. The grief and the guilt, missing my mate and my kits, and knowing that they died because of _me."_

Grovepelt's head sagged down as if the very weight of the words pressed down onto his back. Frostmask could do nothing but stare at the deputy with eyes round with sympathy, not knowing what to say.

Grovepelt blinked hard several times as if he was trying to pull himself out of the memories and bring him back to the present. He glanced over at Frostmask.

"I lived in that darkness for many moons. I had no will to live. I'm still convinced that I would've died back then when my sorrow finally consumed me, if it wasn't for a few new bonds I made," Grovepelt murmured. "I know it did not happen all at once… but one day, it felt like I blinked, and I realized that I had something to live for again: A timid little kit with awkwardly long legs, and ears and paws much too big for his body…"

Grovepelt's voice cracked with emotion, but then he laughed, shaking his head as his shoulders vibrated with gentle purrs.

"Sedgestar saved me. Although if you were to ask him, he'd tell you it was the other way around," Grovepelt's expression was deeply fond as he turned his eyes back out towards the snowy camp. "Anyway, you may think that these are just the ramblings of some sad, old cat. But, my point is you are not alone, Frostmask. In the depths of grief, everything may seem dark, but that's not the truth. When wandering in that fog, it is so easy to only see the darkness. It requires no effort. You may even feel like you deserve to live in it forever. But, there is still light and life out there, if you only have the strength to seek it out. Or, allow yourself to look at the light when it comes to you."

Frostmask stared down at her paws, her ears flat against her head.

"But, weren't you scared of losing Sedgestar too?" she murmured to the ground. "Like your kits?"

Grovepelt turned his head to look at her with a gentle gaze.

"Of course I was," he meowed. "Truthfully, I still am. But, no one can live with a closed heart forever. If I had… if I had never grown to love Sedgestar as my son… Well, my life wouldn't've been worth living."

Frostmask lifted her chin to gaze out into camp. She was searching for Autumnleap's ginger fur, but he wasn't there.

"The first step is always the hardest," Grovepelt murmured. "The first new connection is the most painful. You're right. It's scary to think you may again feel the same pain you once did. It's only natural to want to protect yourself. And, sometimes it feels like a betrayal to the ones you lost. How could I love someone as much as I loved my mate? My kits? But, that's no way to honor their memory. To live the rest of your life in misery… They wouldn't want that for you."

Frostmask was still looking out into camp, and instead of ginger fur, her eyes found a dark pelt. Pineshade was still in the clearing, talking with Cricketpaw. Grovepelt followed Frostmask's gaze with his own.

"It gets easier," he continued. "After the first, you find more. More things to love. More purposes to live for."

Frostmask lowered her gaze back down to her paws, and there was a beat of silence.

"I noticed you didn't go congratulate Pineshade after the ceremony," Grovepelt said.

Frostmask glanced over at him, but his gaze remained resting on his former apprentice. Frostmask dipped her head in concession, feeling some shame prick at her pelt.

"I don't presume to know what happened between you two," Grovepelt continued. "Or if that's part of what's causing your sad mood. But, I wanted to make sure you know that you mean a lot to Pineshade. Even if she has trouble telling you that."

Frostmask blinked, her ears pricking up a bit. But, when she glanced back at Pineshade, and her ears went flat again.

"She's with Dampfang now." The words slipped out of Frostmask's mouth without her even meaning to say them.

Grovepelt glanced at her from the corner of his eye, and Frostmask bowed her head in embarrassment, her pelt prickling. She felt foolish sharing her petty drama with Grovepelt when he seemed to have suffered so much more in his life than she had. He also had running a clan to worry about, not her silly problems… but it was too late for her to take the words back now.

"She cares about him more than me," Frostmask murmured down at the ground.

"There's always room in someone's heart for more than one cat," Grovepelt meowed quietly.

Frostmask's tail twitched, and she didn't respond right away. But, Grovepelt just gazed at her patiently, waiting for her to continue.

"I know. It's not that…" Frostmask mumbled. "It's just that Dampfang hasn't treated her very well in the past. Or, been very nice to me either… But, Pineshade's back with him anyway. It makes me feel like she doesn't care about me. And…"

Frostmask's voice trailed off, and she sighed softly.

"And, you're afraid that he may hurt you again? Or, he may hurt _her_ again?" Grovepelt asked.

Frostmask nodded mutely. Grovepelt was silent for a moment.

"You don't have to like Dampfang to still be friends with Pineshade," Grovepelt said, his voice gentle. "I know you're worried about her, but if you want to support her, aren't you better off being her friend? What if something does happen with Dampfang, would she tell you about it right now? Would you be able to help her, if you and her aren't even speaking?"

Frostmask's brow furrowed. …Truthfully, she hadn't thought about it that way. She glanced over at Grovepelt.

"But, it still feels like she picked him over me," Frostmask meowed.

She knew she sounded like a petulant kit, but she was unable to ignore that feeling of hurt. Grovepelt tilted his head at her.

"Do you think that's what Pineshade intended?" he meowed quietly. "Does she see it that way?"

Frostmask's ears flattened as she recalled Pineshade's pleading voice, asking Frostmask to understand. How she vowed that if Dampfang did anything to Frostmask, she would end her relationship with him.

"No…" Frostmask murmured.

Grovepelt was silent for a moment.

"Why don't you talk to Pineshade about it?" he suggested gently. "Cricketpaw isn't cleared yet for full duties, since she's still a bit weak from whitecough, so she can't do a full territory tour today. But, you and Pineshade could take her and Lizardpaw on a patrol down the WindClan border. How does that sound?"

Frostmask nodded slowly.

"Alright, Grovepelt," she murmured, getting to her paws. "…And, thank you."

Grovepelt gazed at her kindly.

"Anytime," he said with a purr.

He looked like he was back to his calm, friendly self, the grief that had marred his features earlier washed away.

Frostmask dipped her head to him.

"Sedgestar is lucky to have you. And, so is the rest of ShadowClan," she said quietly. "I'm glad you found something new to live for."

Grovepelt blinked and looked at her with fond eyes.

"Thank you, Frostmask," he meowed. "So am I."

Frostmask padded back into the snow and signaled Lizardpaw over to her. He had finished eating and was just waiting by the Clanrock. He came trotting back over to her, his expression inquisitive.

 _'Grovepelt wants us to go on a patrol down the WindClan border with Pineshade and Cricketpaw,'_ she signed, omitting the rest of their more personal conversation.

Hollowpaw, Cedarpaw, Rowanheart, and Dampfang were already gone, maybe to go tour the territory. Buzzardpaw had returned to the medicine cats' den, but Cricketpaw and Pineshade were still in camp, talking to each other. Frostmask padded up to the black-furred she-cat slowly. Her paws dragged on the snowy ground, and she felt nerves swirling in her stomach.

"Hey," she meowed softly.

Pineshade's ears pricked, and she stopped talking to Cricketpaw, turning to Frostmask. Her amber eyes were a bit wary.

"Hey," Pineshade muttered in response.

Frostmask scuffled her paws in the snow.

"Uh, I know Cricketpaw's still recovering from whitecough, so Grovepelt suggested that we take our apprentices on a patrol down the WindClan border… since she can't do a full territory tour today," Frostmask said, forcing herself to hold Pineshade's gaze. "If that's okay with you?"

Pineshade began to nod slowly.

"Alright," she meowed.

Frostmask felt a stirring of relief in her chest.

"Should we get going?" she meowed, and Pineshade nodded, signaling for Frostmask to lead the way.

Together the four of them padded out the thorn barrier.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this chapter took me so long getting out! I ended up writing way more than this, but was a hot mess. I got frustrated and had to take a break. But, I came back to edit it and chop it up into multiple chapters, and now it's much better. Next chapter coming in much less time than this one took!


	28. The Carrionplace

The first part of the patrol had little small talk between them as they headed through the snowy woods towards the WindClan border. Awkward silence hung heavily between Pineshade and Frostmask, even while Lizardpaw and Cricketpaw chatted cheerily together. Or, more accurately, Cricketpaw chatted and signed while Lizardpaw responded as silent as usual, but Frostmask could tell from his demeanor that he was happy to be spending time with his old den-mate.

Frostmask found herself chewing the inside of her cheek indecisively as they continued deeper into the woods. How did she even begin the conversation with Pineshade? …Should she just say that she's sorry?

"What can you scent, Cricketpaw?" Pineshade meowed, and Frostmask blinked, pulled out of her thoughts.

Cricketpaw lifted her muzzle obediently to the air. Her eyes were eager at being given her first real apprentice task. But, her excitement seemed to wane as the moments stretched on while she continued to scent the air silently.

"Um… the air smells like mostly snow…" she meowed, her face uncertain. "Cold and icy…"

She shot a hesitant look at Pineshade.

"Am I supposed to be able to scent something else?" Cricketpaw meowed, her expression crestfallen.

Frostmask saw Lizardpaw's paws begin to flash in a response, eager to help her out, but Frostmask shook her head at him quickly, and he paused. This was something Cricketpaw should get to figure out by herself. Frostmask observed Pineshade silently out of the corner of her eye, curious to see how the often hot-tempered warrior would respond to her apprentice. But, Pineshade's expression was all patience for Cricketpaw.

"Snow masks scents, but you should still be able to pick a few others out. Try opening your mouth and drawing the air across your tongue," Pineshade meowed. "Scents are heightened that way."

Cricketpaw nodded and parted her jaws to breathe in the air. Her eyes brightened immediately.

"Cat scent!" she meowed, her tail perking up. "Lots of it… but it smells strange… WindClan?"

Pineshade nodded.

"Very good," she purred, her tail curling up happily for her apprentice. "We're getting close to the WindClan border."

Lizardpaw sniffed the air, his face curious. Frostmask glanced at him, recognizing his expression. He got that look when he caught a faint scent, which Frostmask wasn't able to pick up yet.

 _'Cedarpaw is close by too,'_ Lizardpaw signed.

Frostmask felt the fur down her back ripple slightly with unease. If Cedarpaw was touring the territory nearby, Dampfang would be there too.

_The last thing I need is to run into that frog-brain right when I'm trying to fix things with Pineshade!_

She gave Lizardpaw a nod of acknowledgement, and then she cast another side-glance at Pineshade to see if she had any reaction to Lizardpaw. But, if Pineshade had seen his signs, she was doing a good job at looking uninterested.

Soon they reached the final line of trees that bordered the moor. Frostmask stared out at the rolling fields, which were now nothing but a sea of white snow, as she half-listened to Pineshade sharing information about WindClan to Cricketpaw a little ways away from her.

Lizardpaw, though, was right at Frostmask's side, but even being so near to her, he was close to invisible in the snowy landscape. Her apprentice attracted her attention with a touch of his tail against her flank.

 _'Dampfang and Cedarpaw approaching,'_ He warned, casting her a glance.

Frostmask's tail twitched. She knew Lizardpaw was aware she wasn't fond of Dampfang. It wasn't something she tried particularly hard to hide. But, if she had to guess though, she didn't think Lizardpaw liked Dampfang very much either, even without her influence. As far as Frostmask could tell, Dampfang never acknowledged Lizardpaw at all… as if he couldn't stand the thought of the existence of a deaf apprentice.

Frostmask's lip curled up slightly at the thought.

_Or, maybe it's just me. Maybe it's just because Lizardpaw is my apprentice._

Frostmask shook her head, trying to focus. She pricked her ears, listening for Dampfang's and Cedarpaw's paw-steps, but she didn't hear anything besides the rush of the wind as if the snow was muffling her ears. She opened her mouth to taste the air, and she then managed to catch a whiff of their scents. Frostmask glanced to the side and saw two dark silhouettes cutting through the snow. Unlike camouflaged Lizardpaw, Dampfang's black pelt stood out in the snow like a piece of crowfood in the fresh-kill pile. Cedarpaw's dark tabby pelt didn't fare much better.

Frostmask saw Dampfang's tail lift when he noticed Pineshade and Cricketpaw.

"Pineshade!" he meowed in greeting, padding up to her as Cedarpaw trailed behind him.

Pineshade and Cricketpaw turned to them, and Frostmask's saw Dampfang's gaze slide past Pineshade and meet hers.

"Oh. Why are you here?" Dampfang said, his green eyes immediately going cold.

Frostmask wanted to curl her lip up at him in response, but she resisted for Pineshade's sake.

_You're trying to make up with her, remember?_

"Frostmask and Lizardpaw are patrolling with us," Pineshade answered for her. "Clearstream doesn't want Cricketpaw doing the full territory, so we're just going down the WindClan border."

"I'll come along with Cedarpaw too," Dampfang said, looking away from Frostmask and back to Pineshade. "I was just about to show him the border."

Frostmask felt hot irritation lick at her pelt.

_Dampfang's not a leader or deputy! The nerve of him to just invite himself onto our patrol without even asking._

"Alright," Pineshade responded, even though it was clear from Dampfang's tone that his words were a statement, not a question for permission.

Frostmask snorted derisively to herself, turning her face away from Dampfang, but she didn't say anything to protest.

The now six cat patrol headed down the border with Frostmask and Lizardpaw trailing behind the rest of the group. Frostmask listened sulkily as Dampfang bragged about the amount of territory that he'd already covered with Cedarpaw during their tour.

"We've already gone through the marsh and the Carrionplace," Dampfang was saying. "After this, I'm going to head back towards the ThunderClan border, stopping by the Burnt Sycamore before getting to the thunderpath."

Pineshade was nodding along with him. Dampfang puffed out his chest.

"Cedarpaw was already able to catch a mouse on the way over here," he boasted. "We buried back by the marsh to pick up later."

"Well done," Pineshade said, with a nod to the apprentice.

Frostmask saw Cedarpaw duck his head down shyly at the praise, but his pelt prickled with pride.

"Why don't we have a friendly competition between the apprentices?" Dampfang meowed, his tail twitched with eagerness. "We can see which of them can catch the most prey as we travel down the border."

Pineshade's ears twisted back uncertainly.

"Cricketpaw's still on light duties," she reminded him. "I don't think it's a good idea to push her too hard."

"Alright," Dampfang meowed smoothly. "We can just do Cedarpaw and Lizardpaw then."

Frostmask felt the fur on the back of her neck stand up as Dampfang cast her a glance over his shoulder then, waiting for her response. Frostmask narrowed her eyes at him. She knew his suggestion wasn't a friendly competition, but a thinly veiled attempt to prove that his apprentice was better than Lizardpaw, or to prove that he was a better mentor than Frostmask.

"A competition like that seems hardly fair to Cedarpaw," Frostmask said, her voice cool but polite. "Lizardpaw has been training for a moon now, but it's just Cedarpaw's first day."

"Nonsense," Dampfang scoffed. "Cedarpaw caught a mouse on his first day! He's clearly naturally talented. And, besides, he doesn't have the same… incapacities as Lizardpaw."

Frostmask's pelt started to heat with anger, but she didn't say anything, glancing down at Lizardpaw instead. He was staring at her, clearly waiting for an interpretation. He had missed most of Dampfang's words since Dampfang had been carelessly tossing his words over his shoulder, not bothering to accommodate Lizardpaw at all.

Frostmask signed to Lizardpaw so that Dampfang would have no chance of eavesdropping.

_'He wants you and Cedarpaw to have a hunting competition, to see who gets the most prey until we reach the end of the WindClan border. You don't have to do it, if you don't want to. There's no reason to play Dampfang's games.'_

Lizardpaw's blue eyes flickered away from hers and to Dampfang. Her apprentice's chin raised, a stubborn look entering his eyes.

 _'Tell him I'll do it,'_ Lizardpaw signed. ' _But, it's his fault if I hurt Cedarpaw's feelings by crushing him.'_

Frostmask felt a quiet purr building in her throat.

"Alright. Lizardpaw agrees," Frostmask said, her gaze flickering back to Dampfang's.

She saw Pineshade look back at her uncertainly, clearly realizing that the tension between Frostmask and Dampfang was escalating. But, Pineshade didn't say anything to protest as Dampfang gave a curt nod of agreement.

"Should we start now?" Dampfang meowed.

Frostmask nodded in agreement and flicked her tail at Lizardpaw. In an instant, he silently vanished into the snow like a ghost.

Frostmask had to stop her whiskers from twitching in smug amusement when she saw Dampfang glancing around in confusion, searching for Lizardpaw, only to realize he was already gone.

"After him," Dampfang said, turning to Cedarpaw quickly.

Cedarpaw gazed back at Dampfang for a moment, his expression hesitant.

"Aren't you coming with me?" he meowed.

"No, you'll do it alone," Dampfang said.

Frostmask brow furrowed. Her smug amusement soured as her stomach turned uneasily.

Dampfang wasn't going to keep an eye on his apprentice? Even though it was Cedarpaw's first day outside of camp?

"But, how will I find you afterward?" Cedarpaw protested, his eyes widening. "I haven't been in this part of the territory before."

"Follow your scent trail back," Dampfang huffed.

"But, you're not staying here, right? You'll still be walking?" Cedarpaw asked.

"Yes, we'll be walking down the WindClan border the whole time," Dampfang said, an impatient growl in his voice now. "Just stay close to the border yourself, and you'll be fine. The competition's over once we reach the end of the border."

"O-okay…" Cedarpaw said.

He slowly turned his back on the patrol, padding out into the snowy forest. Cedarpaw hesitated a moment, shooting a final glance over his shoulder like he was hoping Dampfang would call him back. But, Dampfang just gave him a nod, and the apprentice turned, his tail drooping as he padded out into the trees. Frostmask felt her stomach clench as she watched the young apprentice go.

_Maybe I shouldn't've agreed to Dampfang's dumb idea. I was so eager to show what Lizardpaw can do that I didn't think about how the competition would affect Cedarpaw…_

Frostmask felt the snow swirling fiercely around her pelt, and for a moment, she was a tiny kit again, confused and lost in a forest of ice and snow. She shuddered and brought herself back to the present.

"Maybe this isn't a good idea, Dampfang," Frostmask found herself saying. "It _is_ pretty cold and snowy out. And, Cedarpaw's right; he doesn't know the territory well. He could get lost."

"Are you afraid that your apprentice will lose?" Dampfang challenged, shooting her a sharp look.

Frostmask narrowed her eyes at him but refused to take the bait.

"I'm afraid for Cedarpaw," she said firmly. "It's his first day outside of camp. _Ever_. You should call him back. Or, go with him at least."

Frostmask glanced over at Pineshade and Cricketpaw. Frostmask noticed the young apprentice's eyes were wide and worried for her littermate before Frostmask turned her gaze to search Pineshade's expression for support.

"You can't think this is a good idea, Pineshade," Frostmask meowed. "Our mentors would've never sent us out on a solo hunt without any training. Or without even a proper territory tour! The forest can be dangerous."

Pineshade blinked then turned to Dampfang.

"I think Frostmask's right," she said to him tentatively. "We can always have another competition once the apprentices have some more training. Then Cricketpaw can participate too."

"I know my own apprentice's capabilities," Dampfang snapped, his neck fur bristling defensively. "And, Cedarpaw's going to be fine. I'm right here, nearby! We can easily get to him if he's in trouble."

Frostmask clenched her jaw but remained silent, and Pineshade didn't protest Dampfang again either.

_What should I do? I could ignore Dampfang and go after Cedarpaw, but then Dampfang would just drag me back to camp to tell Sedgestar how I've stuck my nose into his training…_

Her tail twitched uneasily.

_Cedarpaw will be okay… Dampfang's right that we won't be too far from him at least…_

The rest of their journey down the WindClan border was spent in uneasy quiet. Frostmask was careful to scent the air as they went, and she was relieved that she caught traces of both Lizardpaw's and Cedarpaw's scents in the snow as they continued onward. Once they reached the end of the border, the group paused, waiting for the two apprentices to rejoin them. It wasn't long until Lizardpaw appeared, pushing through the now knee-high snow with two mice clutched in his jaws.

"Only two mice?" Dampfang said with a scoff as he approached the group.

Lizardpaw paused.

 _'Hunting was poor,'_ he explained, although Frostmask wasn't sure if Dampfang had even bothered to learn Lizardpaw's signs.

Lizardpaw headed over to Frostmask, placing the two mice on the snow next to her.

"Have you seen Cedarpaw? I'm worried about him being alone in the forest," Frostmask meowed to Lizardpaw, but she cast a pointed look at Dampfang.

Lizardpaw shook his ears 'no.'

"I'm sure he'll show up any moment," Dampfang sniffed. "We should just wait here a little while longer."

Quiet settled over the group again. Frostmask could feel herself getting colder and colder as the moments stretched on. She hadn't been too uncomfortable earlier when her body was warm from walking, but now that they were just standing there, the snowy breeze seemed to cut through her pelt like a cold fang.

Frostmask pricked her ears, searching for any hint of Cedarpaw on the breeze, but she could hear nothing but the sound of the snow howling through the pine trees around them as the storm grew more intense. The branches above their heads strained in the wind, and there was still no sign of Cedarpaw.

"He should be back by now," Pineshade said, breaking the silence over the group. "We should look for him."

Frostmask nodded in agreement, her tail twitching anxiously.

"Will he be okay?" Cricketpaw murmured, turning big, worried eyes onto Pineshade.

"I'm sure he's fine, just a little lost," Pineshade reassured her.

"Maybe he got turned around and went the wrong way down the border?" Frostmask suggested.

Pineshade began to nod thoughtfully, but then Dampfang hissed.

"Cedarpaw isn't a frog-brain," he spat to Frostmask.

The fur down Frostmask's back bristled. Her annoyance towards Dampfang turned to anger as her worry for Cedarpaw grew.

"I didn't say that," she snapped back. "But, he is young, and he may have gotten confused."

"My apprentice can handle himself," Dampfang said, raising his muzzle into the air.

Frostmask dug unsheathed claws into the snow. A surge of powerful anger at Dampfang's willful blindness seared her skin, chasing away the chill of the snow.

"No, he can't. You've been training him for less than a day," Frostmask hissed, lashing her tail. "You've taught him _nothing."_

Dampfang snarled and took at threatening step towards her.

"Dampfang," Pineshade warned, shooting him a sharp glance.

Frostmask glared at Dampfang, and blue and green gazes burned into each other.

"I don't care if you help me or not," Frostmask spat at him before he could decide to respond. "But, I'm going to find Cedarpaw. I'm not going to let your _ego_ kill your apprentice."

Dampfang gave a low, rumbling growl in his throat, but Frostmask turned her back on him. She hoped that the display firmly demonstrated that she didn't see his aggressive posturing as a threat.

 _'Can you try to track Cedarpaw?'_ Frostmask asked Lizardpaw.

Her apprentice's eyes were wide after watching her and Dampfang face off, but he blinked quickly as if to focus himself on Frostmask's question before parting his jaws to breathe in the air.

 _'There's no scent here, but I had noticed a trail when I was coming here with the mice,'_ Lizardpaw signed.

"We'll track him from there then," Frostmask said, snatching up the two mice by their tails to take them with her and signaling with her tail for Lizardpaw to lead the way.

She didn't look back to see if anyone was coming with them as she followed Lizardpaw into the storm, but she did hear paw-steps crunching on snow behind her.

As they padded through the grey and white forest, Frostmask finally gave into her curiosity and shot a quick glance behind her. Pineshade and Cricketpaw were following, and even Dampfang was trailing behind them, although he looked like he loathed every step he took after her.

Frostmask turned her gaze back to Lizardpaw.

_At least even Dampfang has some limits about how frog-brained he'll be._

Lizardpaw paused, his nose twitching. Frostmask parted her jaws, being careful not to drop the mice from her mouth, to see if she could scent anything too, but she could only taste the sharp bite of the icy wind.

Lizardpaw touched his nose with his paw, then signed Cedarpaw's name.

"Lizardpaw's caught his scent," Frostmask translated for the cats behind her, meowing around the mice tails in her fangs.

Lizardpaw turned and plunged into the forest, kicking up snow behind him as he ran. Frostmask bounded after him quickly. She had to stay close or she'd easily lose sight of the white-furred tom in the storm.

_Then we'd have two apprentices to track down…_

Lizardpaw's path was unwavering through the forest as the group ran. They were heading away from the WindClan border, traveling deeper into ShadowClan territory.

_Cedarpaw must have gotten really lost._

Frostmask felt mounting concern in her belly. It filled her veins with urgency, encouraging her to run faster. Frostmask blinked in surprise as Lizardpaw led them into a clearing, and through the falling snow, a tall, metallic web emerged, looming over the cats threateningly.

_The Carrionplace._

Frostmask felt the fur on her shoulders rise with unease. She normally gave this part of the territory a wide breath. She hadn't been this close to it since Lizardpaw's territory tour, and before that, her own tour as an apprentice. Of course, no cat was allowed to go past the webbing, into the strange two-leg territory, without Sedgestar's permission. But, Lizardpaw led the group to a gap in the silver net where he hesitated.

 _'Cedarpaw's scent goes through there,'_ he signed, but even the normally confident Lizardpaw looked nervous as he shot Frostmask a look.

Frostmask stared out into the Carrionplace. The two-leg stuff inside seemed a bit less menacing than normal with the snow piled on them, turning them into harmless looking piles of white. But, when Frostmask opened her mouth, through the scent of snow, she could still pick out the pervasive reek of rats and the unnatural scents of the two-leg items.

The fur down her back rippling with worry, Frostmask dropped the mice she was carrying in the snow and turned to glare at Dampfang.

"Didn't you tell Cedarpaw not to go in the Carrionplace?!" she hissed, not bothering the hide the blatant accusation in her voice.

"Of course," Dampfang growled, twitching his tail. "Maybe _your_ apprentice is wrong about the scent trail."

Frostmask glared at him but ignored the jab. She turned to look at Pineshade, deciding that she wouldn't even bothering asking Dampfang's opinion.

"Should we go in?" she asked. "We're not supposed to without Sedgestar's approval, but if Cedarpaw's in there, and he's in trouble…"

Pineshade hesitated and shot a glance at Dampfang as if she was looking for guidance, which just made Frostmask's lip curl up in disgust. Pineshade was absolutely the last cat in this whole forest that needed someone else to tell her what to do!

But, before anyone could say anything, a quiet, pitiful wail echoed through the air, snapping Frostmask's gaze back towards the Carrionplace. She dug unsheathed claws into the snow as the cry rose the fur on her shoulders. It definitely sounded like a cat that needed help.

Frostmask turned her head back to the group, her mouth open to suggest they go ahead in, but she saw that Dampfang had already ducked through the silver webbing and bounded inside without waiting.

Frostmask gave a hiss of frustration. Even when they were all trying to help Cedarpaw, Dampfang still refused to work with her.

Pineshade turned to Cricketpaw.

"You should stay outside," she meowed firmly to her apprentice.

Cricketpaw gazed at her in dismay.

"But I want to help find Cedarpaw too!" she protested.

Pineshade shook her head.

"It's not safe," she said. "You're still recovering from whitecough, and you don't have any training. If Cedarpaw is in trouble, I don't want to have to worry about you getting hurt too. Alright?"

Cricketpaw's gaze flickered from Pineshade to stare out into the Carrionplace, where Dampfang had already disappeared between the large piles.

"What is this place?" she whispered. "And, what is that sour animal smell?"

"Rats," Frostmask meowed grimly.

Pineshade nodded.

"Two-legs bring odd things and their old food to the Carrionplace," she explained. "It attracts rats. It's dangerous, which is why you need to stay out here."

Cricketpaw's pelt pricked with fear, but she nodded. Pineshade stepped towards her to rasp her tongue over her forehead reassuringly.

"If we're not back soon, I need you to go back to camp and tell Sedgestar or Grovepelt where we are and what happened," Pineshade meowed. "Can you do that? Do you remember the way back to camp?"

Cricketpaw nodded again, her eyes as wide as an owl's.

"Good," she meowed. "Now, go stay out of sight. We'll be back before you know it."

Pineshade turned to Frostmask, motioning with her tail for her and Lizardpaw to follow, then she headed into the Carrionplace.

Frostmask snatched the mice back up again and padded after Pineshade through the silver webbing. Her pelt prickled with fear as they crept closer to the piles of two-leg junk. The piles were unevenly covered with snow with many dark nooks and crannies, and she could occasionally make out flashes of metal or unnaturally bright colors peeking out through the white. Her ears pricked and swiveled to the noise of faint skittering all around her, but she could see no movement.

_Maybe it's coming from inside the piles._

Frostmask shivered, but it wasn't from the cold. She could almost _feel_ dozens and dozens of eyes fixed on their group, peering out from the shadows in the piles. Frostmask took a step closer to Lizardpaw.

 _'Stay near me,'_ she warned, shooting him a sharp look so he knew she was serious.

Lizardpaw nodded, his blue eyes round and his nose constantly twitching as if the odd two-leg scents and the smell of rats were overwhelming for him.

"Which way does Cedarpaw's scent go?" Pineshade whispered, nodding at Lizardpaw for him to guide them.

Lizardpaw hesitantly crept forward to take the lead, but Pineshade and Frostmask stuck close to his tail in an attempt to keep young apprentice safe.

Frostmask shot a look out of the corner of her eye at Pineshade as they crept through the looming piles. Frostmask wasn't sure if it was Dampfang's disappearance or the dire situation, but Pineshade seemed back to her normal self— collected, confident, and easily taking the lead instead of hesitant and looking at Dampfang for his opinions before offering her own.

Frostmask was snapped out of her thoughts, and her gaze flew to the side as she heard a soft _thump._ She saw a clump of snow rolling down one of the piles and a dark flash across it, which quickly disappeared into one of the many crevices in the snow.

 _'What was that?'_ Lizardpaw asked, glancing back at her and noticing her bristling pelt.

 _'Rat,'_ Frostmask responded. ' _Let's keep moving. Quickly.'_

They picked up their pace, trotting now around the piles. Frostmask kept a look out for Dampfang in addition to rats, but she wasn't sure were the dark warrior had went. If they were lucky, maybe he had already found Cedarpaw.

"Look!" Pineshade whispered, nodding at the snow on the ground ahead of them.

Frostmask felt her pelt prickle with relief as she followed Pineshade's gaze to see paw-prints in the snow. They were too small to be Dampfang's, and they hadn't yet been obscured by the still falling snow, which meant they were fresh.

"Cedarpaw must be close," Frostmask whispered around the mice dangling from her mouth.

Not needing to rely on Lizardpaw's tracking anymore, Frostmask and Pineshade crept forward in unconscious agreement to put Lizardpaw in the relatively safer position between the two of them as they followed Cedarpaw's trail.

Frostmask inhaled deeply. She could finally smell Cedarpaw's scent-trail through the smells of snow and rats. It was a miracle that Lizardpaw had been able to pick it up at all back in the forest and get them so close.

Frostmask jolted as another cry echoed through the storm, this time much louder and clearer than before.

 _"Help!"_ Cedarpaw wailed.

Frostmask and Pineshade surged forward toward the voice, and Lizardpaw jerkily followed, shooting them a confused look.

"Cedarpaw— calling— for help." Frostmask panted, hoping that Lizardpaw could read her lips around the mice dangling from her jaws well enough as they ran.

She didn't want to waste time by slowing and using her paws to sign when Cedarpaw's life could be hanging in the balance. But, Lizardpaw gave a firm nod, and his blue gaze darkened as if he understood.

Pineshade was in the lead, but as she rounded the corner of one of the piles, she suddenly slammed to a stop and started back-pedaling back behind the pile. Frostmask scrambled her paws against the snow to try to slow herself, but she still crashed into Pineshade's flanks, unable to completely halt in time. Frostmask hissed out a breath at the new bruises, but Pineshade shot her a look with amber eyes round with fear as she frantically signed at Frostmask and Lizardpaw to be quiet.

Frostmask felt the fur on shoulders rise at the unsettling expression on Pineshade's face while the three of them grouped tightly together in the shelter of the pile. Frostmask shot a glance over her shoulder to make sure Lizardpaw was still behind them. He was watching her and Pineshade with wide eyes. Frostmask dropped the mice in her mouth to the ground and crept over to the edge of the pile to see what had so badly spooked Pineshade.

Frostmask carefully peeked around the corner and swallowed hard, her stomach suddenly turning nauseatingly. Several fox-lengths away, there was a sea of rats swarming at the base of a junk pile.

They were all thin— Frostmask could see ribs poking out of dingy brown and black pelts, but their skinny frames were taunt with energy. The rats clambered over each other, occasionally letting out a furious squeak and nipping at each other when one of them stepped on the other's paws or tail.

_What are they doing here? Why are they so agitated?_

Frostmask's questions were answered when she saw one rat break away from the others to climb up the side pile they were all clustered around. The rat's dark eyes glinted as it scrambled about half-way up the pile, pausing just beneath a crevice in the snow and two-leg items. It seemed to hesitate for a moment, before lunging forward with a fierce squeak. A dark tabby paw flashed out of the crevice to meet it. The rat shrieked as it was clawed down its side, blood dripping onto snow, then it was knocked off the pile by another hit of the paw. It tumbled down the little hill towards the crowd of starving rats below.

The rats' squeaks seemed to reach a fevered pitch when their bloodied companion fell into the crowd. Mounting horror grew in Frostmask's belly as the rats descend on the wounded one, drawn in by the scents of blood and weakness.

The wounded rat shrieked as its companions ate it alive.

Red spurted across the white ground as the rats sunk sharp, yellow teeth into its sides, pulling off its legs and tail. The rats squeaked and hissed at each other as each of them rushed in to get a mouthful, fighting one another for every bite.

In a matter of moments, there were only scraps of fur and blood left. Even the bones were gone. Some rats had snatched them up quickly, then fled from the group with their prizes clutched in their jaws— stealing them away to crack them open and eat the marrow in peace.

The squeaks quieted and the rats settled back into the churning sea that Frostmask had first seen them as; only squeaking occasionally when bothered. Frostmask realized they were patiently waiting for another rat to try their luck and fail, or for a rat to succeed and drag the cat out so they could have a bigger meal.

Frostmask slipped back around the corner of the pile, her muscles taunt with terror. She turned to look at Pineshade and Lizardpaw. Judging by their unnerved expressions, they had just witnessed the same baseless savagery that she had.

"How do we get Cedarpaw out?" Frostmask whispered, her eyes round with fear. "He's surrounded. He'll be eaten alive as soon as he sticks out even a whisker."

Lizardpaw just shook his head, looking like he felt ill to his stomach. Even Pineshade seemed like she was at a loss for words as her tail flicked with nervous energy. Frostmask was distracted from them when she saw a shadow flash between the piles behind Pineshade and Lizardpaw. Frostmask tensed, preparing herself to leap forward and fight a rat, but she realized the shape was distinctly feline.

Dampfang noticed them at the same time Frostmask noticed him, and he hurried over to the group.

"Have you found Cedarpaw?" he whispered.

Pineshade nodded.

"He's over there," she whispered, flicking her tail to indicate the direction. "But, he's trapped in a little cave and surrounded by tons of cannibal rats."

"Cannibal rats?" Dampfang echoed incredulously.

Pineshade nodded, her face grim.

"We just saw them kill and eat one of their own," she meowed. "Poke your head around to take a look. But, be careful that they don't see you. Cedarpaw's in a crevice about half-way up the pile."

Dampfang edged forward, peering around the corner for a moment before slipping back.

"Should we try to fight them?" he whispered.

"And get eaten alive?!" Frostmask hissed incredulously, lashing her tail.

Dampfang narrowed his harsh green gaze at her.

"Well I'm not leaving my apprentice to die, mouse-heart," he growled.

"Of course I'm not abandoning Cedarpaw, but we need to be smart so we _all_ don't die," Frostmask growled back, having no patience left for him. "Besides, Cedarpaw wouldn't be in this mess if it wasn't for you being a frog-brain. So, maybe you should let someone else come up with the plans."

Dampfang bared his fangs at Frostmask.

"Enough," Pineshade hissed, glaring at the both of them. "The longer we argue, the greater the chances that the rats find us, or get impatient and overrun Cedarpaw!"

Frostmask twitched her tail, but she knew Pineshade was right. She inhaled deeply through her nose, trying to push her annoyance at Dampfang away so she could think.

"I agree that fighting's not a good idea," Pineshade murmured, continuing. "There's only three of us, plus Cedarpaw. No way we can take on that many of them. So, what we need to do is get the rats away from the pile so Cedarpaw can escape."

"A distraction," Frostmask meowed, nodding in agreement.

"Can we try to scare them off?" Dampfang suggested.

Frostmask's gaze flickered to the ground, where it lingered on the two mice lying in the snow next to her, and she felt an idea forming in her mind.

"No," she meowed. "Let's give them what they want: fresh-kill."

She bent over and nudged the mice closer to them.

"We can lure them away with this," she meowed.

Dampfang glared at her skeptically.

"Two tiny mice for all those rats?" he said.

Frostmask shook her head.

"The mice will be just to get their attention," she meowed. "The real prize will be a big, tasty cat."

Pineshade and Dampfang stared at her.

"You want one of us to lure them away?" Pineshade said slowly.

Frostmask's tail-twitched, her stomach turning. Admittedly, it would be quite risky.

"Yes," she said. "It'll be dangerous, but does anyone else have a better idea?"

Her question was met with silence.

"The rats went crazy at the scent of blood," Frostmask continued. "Whoever does it can rub some mouse blood on themself to make them smell more appealing. They should first get the rats' attention, then run away and drop a mouse behind them to whet their appetites. If the rats give chase and catch up to them while they're trying to escape the Carrionplace, they can drop the second mouse to distract the rats again and buy themself more time… Hopefully the rats will see them as an easier meal than Cedarpaw."

Pineshade nodded.

"It's a good idea," she meowed softly. "I'm faster than you, Frostmask. I'll do it."

 _"No!"_ Dampfang interrupted quickly, staring at Pineshade. "No. I'll do it."

Pineshade's brow furrowed, and her tail tip twitched.

"I'm faster than you too. I'll be fine," she insisted, but Dampfang just shook his head.

"I'm not taking that chance," he said stubbornly. "You make sure Cedarpaw's okay. Give me these—"

Dampfang snatched the mice up quickly as if he was afraid Pineshade would try to take them before he could.

"You all head to the tear in the webbing where we came in from. I'll try to lead them in the opposite direction," he mumbled around the mice in his mouth.

Pineshade opened her mouth, but before she could say any more, Dampfang turned and quickly slipped off. Pineshade gave her tail a few annoyed lashes.

"He should've let me do it! What a frog-brain!" she hissed in the direction he left.

Frostmask shrugged.

"I know he is. I've been saying that for moons, but you never listen to me," Frostmask meowed.

Pineshade glared at her.

"Not helping right now, Frostmask," Pineshade huffed.

Frostmask glanced away from her.

"Sorry," she muttered.

"Come on," Pineshade said. "Let's see if the rats take the bait."

Pineshade, Frostmask, and Lizardpaw crept forward to peek their gazes around the side of the pile.

For several long moments, everything was as Frostmask had last seen it— the rats swarming around, squeaking occasionally, waiting for something to happen. But, then a rat at the edge of the group lifted its wedge-shaped muzzle to the air, its whiskers twitching with curiosity.

Rounding the edge of the pile where Cedarpaw was hiding, was Dampfang. He had followed Frostmask's suggestion to rub the mouse blood in his fur, but it wasn't a very convincing appearance of injury. The blood had congealed into a dark substance with tree sap-like consistency, and the amount he had managed to get from the mouse was barely a splatter on his pelt. But, Dampfang was still playing up his act as best he could. He was faking a limp and his head was bowed as he panted in mock exhaustion around the two, now quite mangled, mice that hung from his jaws.

A ripple of interest passed through the rat mob as eerie silence fell over them. They edged over in Dampfang's direction, a few brave ones on the edges of the crowd darting forward, closer to him for a moment, before ducking back into the safety of the group.

Frostmask found herself holding her breath in anticipation.

 _Come on. Go after him._ She silently urged the rats.

Despite Dampfang's appearance of weakness, his green eyes were sharp and quick as they darted from rat to rat as the mob drew closer to him. His tail began to flick and his dark pelt prickled, but Frostmask couldn't tell if the indication of fear was genuine or another part of his act.

One rat, a big black brute, struck first.

It charged at Dampfang, its long yellow teeth bared, but Dampfang knocked it aside with a lightning fast strike of his paw. A surge of worry shot through Frostmask.

_What's he doing!? He's supposed to run, not fight! The idiot will be eaten alive!_

But, Dampfang's plan seemed to have a whisker of merit to it, since the attack just worked to entice the rats to go after him even more. The silence broke as a sharp chorus of harsh squeaks rose up from them as they dashed forward.

Now Dampfang did turn tail and flee, his paws kicking up snow behind him. After he led the rats a few boulder-lengths away from the pile, he dropped the first mouse behind him, which a few rats snatched up as the rest doggedly pursued Dampfang. A heartbeat later, Dampfang had disappeared around one of the many two-leg's piles, the rats hot behind him.

"Let's go," Pineshade hissed with a signal of her tail, wasting no time in hurrying towards Cedarpaw's hiding spot as soon as the rats were out of sight.

Frostmask dashed after her with Lizardpaw only a step behind. They ran to the pile and quickly scrambled up the side. Frostmask hissed as her paw struck something sharp in the pile beneath the snow, cutting her pad.

"Cedarpaw!" Pineshade hissed.

The apprentice's dark tabby head warily poked out of the little crevice, his gaze narrowed in fear, but when he spotted them, his eyes went wide with a powerful relief.

"Oh StarClan, you found me," he gasped, his voice wavering.

"All thanks to Lizardpaw," Frostmask meowed quietly. "He tracked you down."

"Thank you," Cedarpaw said, in addition to blinking his thanks in sign to Lizardpaw, as he pulled himself out of the hole.

Once he emerged into the light, Frostmask could clearly see that the rats hadn't left him completely unharmed. His forepaws and shoulders especially were marred with bites and one eye was swollen up from a scrape to his cheek. Thankfully no bite seemed too deep, but they'd have to get him back to Clearstream and Elmclaw quickly so infection didn't set in.

Pineshade peered at Cedarpaw's cuts worriedly as the four of them skidded back down the side of the snowy pile.

"Can you run? We need to get out of here as fast as we can," she meowed in a hushed voice.

Cedarpaw put on a brave face and nodded.

"Stay absolutely quiet, and you and Lizardpaw stay between us," Pineshade whispered, flicking her tail to indicate herself and Frostmask. "Come on."

The four of them took off at as fast a pace Cedarpaw could manage. Frostmask kept her ears pricked, wary for the rats as they sprinted through the Carrionplace, but the storm which had been working against them when they were tracking Cedarpaw down, now worked with them to disguise their presence. Frostmask didn't even see a flick of a furless tail.

A surge of relief shook Frostmask as the silver webbing came into sight. Frostmask slowed as they reached it, keeping watch over her shoulder for rats and letting everyone else go first through the tear in the webbing. Once Pineshade's dark tail was through, Frostmask followed them. As Frostmask cleared the bit of distance between the webbing and the tree-line, she sighed so deeply her bones shuddered. She felt like she had never been so grateful to be back in the forest.

As Frostmask trotted back under the safety of the pines, Cricketpaw came barreling over to Cedarpaw, her eyes wide with relief.

"You're alright!" she gasped, running to his side and starting to lick at her brother's wounds.

Cedarpaw winced as her tongue scraped his raw cuts.

"Where's Dampfang?" he meowed, glancing around.

Frostmask saw Pineshade's gaze darken with worry.

"He lured the rats away from the pile. Hopefully he'll be back soon," Pineshade murmured.

Frostmask's tail twitched as she glanced back at the Carrionplace, hoping to see a flash of Dampfang's dark pelt through the snow. She might not like the cat, but being eaten alive by rats was a fate that Frostmask wouldn't wish on anyone. Not spotting his black pelt yet, Frostmask looked back over at the group, and she saw Pineshade's brow furrowing.

"Why did you go into the Carrionplace?" Pineshade asked Cedarpaw, an undercurrent of anger entering her voice. "Didn't Dampfang tell you it was dangerous?"

Cedarpaw dipped his head in shame.

"Yeah," he muttered. "But, he also said that Sedgestar sometimes allows hunting there when there's no prey to be found in the forest… I got a bit lost during my hunt, and I bumped into it. I hadn't found any prey yet, so I thought…"

"No one is to enter the Carrionplace without Sedgestar's permission." Pineshade's voice was stern. "You could've been killed, and you put our whole patrol at risk."

Cedarpaw bowed his head deeper, his ears flattening.

Frostmask's tail flicked. She felt like she had to come to Cedarpaw's defense.

"Cedarpaw's one day out of the nursery," Frostmask meowed in a low voice that only reached Pineshade's ears. "We can't really expect him to know any better… Dampfang should've been more clear about the Carrionplace being forbidden. Cedarpaw shouldn't even been hunting alone… I _know_ you know that it was a frog-brained idea, Pineshade."

Pineshade glared at Frostmask, the fur on her shoulders bristling slightly. She jerked her head to the side, indicating Frostmask to follow her a few tail-lengths away from the apprentices, out of their earshot. Frostmask did so reluctantly, her muscles tensing in anticipation of an argument.

"Stop blaming Dampfang for everything," Pineshade hissed at her. "You're acting like this mess is all his fault."

Frostmask's jaw fell open in shock, and she completely forgot about how she was supposed to be not making the rift between her and Pineshade worse.

"Uh— but it is?!" Frostmask said, her tail starting to lash. "If he didn't send Cedarpaw out alone, Cedarpaw wouldn't've ended up here!"

"Well it wouldn't've happened either, if you weren't so eager to have this dumb contest with Cedarpaw and Lizardpaw," Pineshade snapped back.

"Dampfang started that too!" Frostmask gasped indignantly. "And, like a heartbeat afterwards, I realized it was a dumb idea and told Dampfang to call it off!"

Frostmask's lip curled up as her frustration grew.

How could she make Pineshade see sense?! For such a clever cat, she always had such a big blindspot when it came to Dampfang.

"Stop defending him when he's clearly in the wrong," Frostmask hissed.

"I'm not saying he didn't mess up at all," Pineshade grumbled, her tail twitching. "But, he didn't cause _everything._ I mean, he helped us save Cedarpaw too. He lured the rats away."

Frostmask snorted derisively.

"Yeah, after he insisted that you weren't capable when you volunteered to do it," Frostmask said, unable to keep the contempt from her voice. _"What a hero."_

Pineshade glared at Frostmask.

"He just wanted me to be safe," she spat, lashing her tail. "That's what cats that care about each other do."

Frostmask pinned her ears against her head.

"Well I care about you too!" Frostmask snapped. "But, I know you're a competent cat that can handle herself! And, I believe you when you tell me you can do something!"

Pineshade just stared at Frostmask, having no retort back. But, Frostmask jerked and broke eye-contact as the sound of paw-steps interrupted their argument. Frostmask turned to see Dampfang appear, panting slightly from his run, but looking no worse for wear. Dampfang strode up to Cedarpaw as soon as he spotted him.

"Are you okay?" he asked, inspecting Cedarpaw's wounds.

Cedarpaw nodded.

Pineshade brushed past Frostmask, heading over to Dampfang where she bumped his shoulder with her head affectionately.

"I'm glad you made it out," Pineshade mewed in a quiet voice.

"There was a lot of them, but they couldn't climb the silver webbing after me," Dampfang meowed, giving his dark fur a brisk shake. "We should get going though, in case they decide to do a border patrol around the Carrionplace and spot us and the hole in the web."

Pineshade nodded in agreement.

"We should go back to camp," she said. "Sedgestar needs to know what happened, and Cedarpaw needs his wounds looked at."

Dampfang glanced at Cedarpaw.

"Did you manage to catch any prey?" he meowed.

"No," Cedarpaw muttered, his tail-tip twitching.

"That's alright," Dampfang meowed offhandedly. "Lizardpaw caught two mice, but they were lost, so we can call it a tie."

Frostmask felt the fur down her back rise.

_Of course Dampfang still cares about that! For StarClan's sake, Lizardpaw's mice were used to save Cedarpaw! That's more important than any dumb competition!_

Dampfang cast Frostmask a look, his green gaze taunting. She realized that he was provoking her. He _wanted_ her to argue with him, but Frostmask wasn't going to give him that satisfaction.

Frostmask rose to her paws, her gaze icy as she stared at Dampfang. She glanced at Pineshade, but she was still gazing at the dark tom. Frostmask turned and used her tail to signal for Lizardpaw to follow as she silently padded into the forest, leaving Dampfang, Cedarpaw, Cricketpaw and Pineshade behind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading! And, especially to those that leave kudos and comments! :)


	29. Conversations

Frostmask headed back towards camp with Lizardpaw walking at her shoulder. Her jaw was clenched in silent frustration towards Pineshade and Dampfang, but the edge of her bad mood was softened by the fact that it had finally stopped snowing. Although, the forest around the two cats was still coated in a substantial layer of it, so it'd clearly be sticking around for a while.

 _'You okay?'_ Lizardpaw asked her, for the second time today.

Frostmask sighed, and she paused walking.

 _'Dampfang's a jerk,'_ Frostmask signed. ' _I don't like him. And, I wish he didn't spend so much time with Pineshade because it'd be a lot easier for me to ignore him then...'_

Lizardpaw nodded, his brow furrowed. Frostmask gave her head a sharp shake to try to pull herself from her brooding. Although it was nice to feel like Lizardpaw was on her side, he was still her apprentice, not her peer. Her job was to mentor and train him. It felt a bit improper to wrap him up in her drama with Pineshade and Dampfang. She nudged Lizardpaw's shoulder with her muzzle, deciding to change the subject.

 _'You were amazing back there,'_ she signed. ' _No other cat in ShadowClan could track Cedarpaw down like you did. You saved his life! I'm really proud of you.'_

Lizardpaw ducked his head shyly, but his blue eyes were bright with pleasure. Frostmask purred, feeling a warm glow of affection in her chest.

 _'I'll make sure Sedgestar knows about what you did today,'_ she continued.

They started walking again and soon reached the thorn barrier. Pushing through the tunnel, Frostmask was greeted by the reassuringly familiar sight of the ShadowClan camp at sun-high. Some cats had crept out of their dens now that the snowfall had stopped, and they were either eating or quietly working in camp. Frostmask noticed Featherpaw and Yewpaw were busy shoving snow away from the holly bush to clear the entrance to the apprentices' den. Larkfoot and Amberberry were by the elders' den, a massive stump of a long-gone pine tree, and they were weaving branches between gaps in the roots and shoving in moss plastered with mud to seal the chill and the snow out of the den. Greytail stuck her head out of the den's entrance, blinking at the she-cats gratefully.

"There's still a draft coming in from the back," the elder rasped.

Larkfoot nodded and snatched up another muddy moss patch, padding around the stump.

Frostmask glanced towards the nursery, feeling a flash of surprise that the queens were reinforcing the elders' den rather than the bramble bush, but she blinked when she realized that now that Cricketpaw, Cedarpaw, Buzzardpaw, and Hollowpaw were apprentices, for the first time in Frostmask's life, there were no kits in ShadowClan.

Frostmask's tail-tip twitched uneasily at the thought. As far as she knew, no she-cat was expecting right now either... Maybe it was for the best. Leaf-bare had only just begun, and fresh-kill was already getting harder and harder to find. It wasn't a good time to be having kits.

As if to emphasize Frostmask's gloomy sentiment, Dawntail started coughing as she was eating a black-bird with Dustleap a few tail-lengths away from the entrance to the medicine cats' den. Elmclaw emerged, drawn out by the sound. He padded over to her, but Dawntail just waved him away with her tail.

"I only swallowed a feather," she meowed around her coughs.

Elmclaw relented and padded back into his cave, but Frostmask's felt worry swirling in her belly. Hopefully it _was_ just a feather, and Dawntail wasn't getting sick like her kits.

Frostmask turned to Lizardpaw, giving him a nod to dismiss him from duties for the sun-high. He padded off towards his siblings, his tail perking up high in greeting to them. Frostmask took a few steps in the direction of Sedgestar's den, but she paused for a moment to watch Lizardpaw, Featherpaw, and Yewpaw together. Featherpaw's and Yewpaw's diligent clearing of the apprentices' den's entrance had turned from work to play when their brother joined them, and now the three of them were pouncing on little mounds of snow and throwing the powder up into the air with their paws.

 _Today's the first day they've ever_ ** _seen_** _snow._ Frostmask realized with a blink.

It was a bit of a strange thought. The snow and the cold seemed to be something so ingrained into Frostmask's life and her memories, it was odd to imagine that for some cats, today was their first experience with it. Sometimes Frostmask felt like winter, for all its cruelty and death, was what had given her her life. To take it away from her, would be like changing her pelt color or turning her plumy tail into a stub.

Frostmask gave her head a small, melancholy shake. Things really would've been so different for her if today was the first time she'd seen snow. If leaf-bare had not killed them, she'd still have a mother and two siblings. Would she even still be named Frost if the world hadn't been frozen solid the day she was born? She'd have a whole different _identity_.

_I wouldn't be in ShadowClan. May only sought shelter here because we were starving from leaf-bare._

Frostmask felt herself tense.

…Would she make that trade if she could? Get her mother back and her brothers, the four of them living together as loners, in trade for all the cats she'd come to know here and all the hardships she'd faced in ShadowClan? When she was a kit, she knew what her answer would be, quite easily, but now it was much more difficult question.

Frostmask glanced around the clearing for a moment before her gaze settled back down on Lizardpaw and his siblings. Watching them tumbling around together made the tightness her heart ease.

_I couldn't._

Frostmask relaxed as the thought rang certainly in her mind. Although she'd experienced many terrible things here, losing her mother, growing up as an outcast, losing Swoopstrike… she didn't want to leave ShadowClan. She had just as many, if not more good things here too. She wanted the cats she lost back, but she wasn't going to give up all of things that she had now for them.

Frostmask felt a pang at that thought.

 _I'm sorry,_ she whispered the words to the ghosts in her mind.

She gave her ears a small shake to clear her head.

_There's no sense in thinking that way anyway. They aren't coming back… I don't have to feel guilty that I wouldn't trade everything else here for them._

Frostmask heard Grovepelt's words echoing in her ears again.

_"They wouldn't want you to live the rest of your life in misery."_

_I'm trying not to,_ she thought back to herself.

Frostmask gave a soft sigh as she realized that she had completely failed to have any meaningful conversation with Pineshade during her patrol. She would have to deal with her later. Frostmask blinked and pulled herself back to the present moment. She watched Lizardpaw rolling around in the snow for a heartbeat longer, a soft purr in her throat before she turned and padded towards the entrance to Sedgestar's den at the base of the Oak Tree. She could pick up his scent wafting strongly out the roots.

"Sedgestar?" she called. "Can I speak with you?"

"Frostmask?" Sedgestar's voice, rough with sleep replied. "Come in."

Frostmask padded into the earthen tunnel, murmuring a pleased sigh that it was much warmer inside than out in the snow. Once she entered into the dimly lit den, she saw both Sedgestar and Emberflower in their nest. Sedgestar was sitting up, looking at her expectantly, but Emberflower was still curled into a ball by his side. Frostmask's tail flipped guiltily. She'd clearly interrupted their sun-high nap.

Frostmask dipped her head to them briefly. The events of her hectic patrol played out in her mind again, and she felt a moment of nervousness about what Sedgestar's reaction to it would be. But, she gave her head a small shake, making a snap decision to just get it over with and tell her leader everything.

"Some things happened while I was out on patrol that I thought you should know about," Frostmask said, speaking quickly. "When I was with Dampfang, Pineshade and our apprentices, Dampfang and I had a hunting competition with Lizardpaw and Cedarpaw. Dampfang sent Cedarpaw out alone, and he ended up in the Carrionplace. Thanks to Lizardpaw, we were able to track his scent, and rescue him from a group of rats which had trapped him inside there. Although Cedarpaw sustained some relatively minor injuries, which he will need to see the medicine cats for. Lizardpaw is back in camp now, and the rest of them were just behind me, so they should be back soon as well."

Sedgestar nodded slowly, his expression unreadable as he absorbed everything she told him. Emberflower had raised her head from their nest, her gaze troubled. Sedgestar gave a sharp sigh when Frostmask finished her report.

"Agitating the rats is never a good idea," he said, his face turning weary. "We rely on the fragile truce which keeps them within the borders of the Carrionplace, as long as we stay out. There will be trouble for ShadowClan if they've been provoked to travel outside of their boundaries… Why exactly did Cedarpaw end up in there again?"

Frostmask shook her head.

"I'm not completely sure. But, I don't think he really knew any better," she meowed. "...I don't think he fully understood that hunting in the Carrionplace was forbidden."

Sedgestar's tail-tip twitched slightly.

"I see," he said, his eyes unreadable. "Thank you for the report, Frostmask. You are dismissed, but please send Dampfang in once he gets to camp."

"I will," she murmured, but she didn't move to leave yet. "I also wanted to be sure that you knew how well Lizardpaw did today, though. Without his tracking abilities, I'm certain we wouldn't've been able to get to Cedarpaw in time."

Sedgestar nodded again and some of his stern expression softened.

"Very good," he meowed. "I'm sure that will help reassure some of our clan-mates that question his usefulness."

Frostmask's tail raised in pride for her apprentice. She dipped her head to Sedgestar again before turning and padding back out of the den. When Frostmask emerged, shivering at the cold that rushed back over her, she saw that the others still hadn't made it back to camp yet.

Frostmask wandered over into the center of the clearing, hesitating as she glanced around. She wasn't sure what to do with herself while she waited for Dampfang, Pineshade, and their apprentices to get back. It felt too cold to linger outside, just standing around. But, she wasn't sure that she wanted to go in the warriors' den either.

Her tail twitched uneasily.

_What if Autumnleap is in there?_

Frostmask sighed softly, wishing she could go back to a few moons ago, when she had plenty of cats to seek out to spend time with, instead of worrying about running into them.

"Hey, Frostmask." A voice interrupted her, and she turned to see Poolcloud padding over to her.

Frostmask raised her tail in greeting, feeling a rush of happiness at the sight of him. He was one of the few uncomplicated, friendly faces she had left.

"Hey, what's up?" she meowed.

Poolcloud shrugged in his good-natured way.

"Nothing much," he meowed. "I wanted to come see how you're doing."

"Me?" Frostmask said, angling an ear at him questioningly.

Poolcloud scuffled his paws in the snow for a moment.

"Yeah," he said. "I mean, I know you and Pineshade aren't on great terms since Pineshade and... you know."

Poolcloud cleared his throat awkwardly like he didn't want to say Dampfang's name out loud, as if he was worried about upsetting her.

"Yeah," Frostmask admitted. "I was trying to make up with her today, but it didn't go exactly great... our patrol was kinda a disaster in fact."

Poolcloud pricked his ears in an expression of interest. Frostmask sighed.

"Dampfang showed up," she explained. "Cedarpaw got lost and ended up in the Carrionplace. He was injured by rats... Everyone is okay, but it was this whole thing."

Frostmask lashed her tail a few times in emphasis.

"...Well you know that Pineshade can be difficult," Poolcloud said. "But, I'm glad that you're making up."

"Trying to," Frostmask corrected with a bitter purr. "And, failing right now, but I'll attempt again later."

Poolcloud nodded before falling quiet for a moment, and he looked down at his paws.

"Anyway, I'm also worried about Autumnleap," he said, his tail twitching faintly, and Frostmask's stomach lurched at the sound of his name. "He's been not himself for the past few days, and I've seen you avoiding him…"

Frostmask's ears flattened guilty.

"So, I just wanted to make sure you're okay," Poolcloud continued, lifting his gaze to study her with concern.

"I'm okay..." Frostmask meowed slowly, even though she knew it wasn't totally true.

But, she grimaced at the thought of Poolcloud finding out that only a heartbeat before he appeared, she had been standing alone, feeling lost in their own camp... If Poolcloud knew that, it'd just make him fret about her like he was about Autumnleap right now, and Frostmask felt bad about worrying him.

Poolcloud glanced at her as if he didn't totally believe her, and Frostmask ducked her head.

"Kinda okay," she qualified.

"Autumnleap told me a bit about what happened," Poolcloud said in a soft voice.

Frostmask winced faintly, shutting her eyes for a moment.

"He did?" she meowed, dread in her voice.

Poolcloud nodded solemnly. Frostmask glanced at his face again, afraid to find anger towards her there for how badly she reacted to Autumnleap that day, but Poolcloud's expression was just sympathetic.

"I didn't mean to hurt his feelings," Frostmask whispered. "I just..."

Her voice trailed off, and she sighed. She didn't really want to get into the whole story right now. Poolcloud seemed to understand, so he just walked over to her so he could lean against her side, his long, dense fur enveloping her.

"You know, I'm here for you if you ever want to talk about anything," Poolcloud said.

He rumbled a quick purr.

"Or if you want to just hang out and not talk about anything," he said.

Frostmask pressed herself back against him and gave his shoulder fur a brief lick so he knew his words were appreciated.

"Thanks Poolcloud," she mewed.

Dampfang, Pineshade, Cedarpaw, and Cricketpaw entered through the thorn tunnel then, and Frostmask pulled away from Poolcloud. She shook her head, trying to dislodge her thoughts about Autumnleap.

"I have to go talk to them," she explained, nodding in Dampfang's and Pineshade's direction.

"Alright, I'll see you later," Poolcloud said, nodding in goodbye.

Frostmask turned away and strode over to Dampfang, Pineshade and their apprentices, her chin held up in what she hoped was a confident and collected expression.

"I gave Sedgestar the report," she said, locking her gaze on Dampfang. "He wants to speak with you, Dampfang."

Dampfang glanced at her, his eyes narrowing suspiciously, but when he spoke, he was icily polite.

"Of course. Thank you, Frostmask," he meowed, brushing past her to head towards Sedgestar's den.

"Cricketpaw, take Cedarpaw to the medicine cats' den, and then take a break for a while," Pineshade meowed to the apprentices. "Also, make sure you two tell Clearstream and Elmclaw that the injuries are rat bites. They'll need to know so they can treat them properly. And, you should get checked out yourself for your cough, Cricketpaw. I heard you wheezing a bit on the way back."

Cricketpaw and Cedarpaw nodded, their gazes glazed with exhaustion. They were propping each other by leaning their shoulders together, and they staggered side by side to the medicine cats' den. Even though they'd only been out for a half a day, Cricketpaw and Cedarpaw were clearly wiped out.

_Well Cricketpaw was sick not that long ago. And, Cedarpaw was pretty chewed up by the rats... so they probably have good reason to be tired._

"Not the greatest first day out of camp," Frostmask thought out-loud, her gaze still on the apprentices.

She glanced at Pineshade to see if she'd agree, but the she-cat was silent. Frostmask's tail twitched.

She probably was still mad at Frostmask for arguing with her about Dampfang.

Frostmask huffed quietly to herself at the thought.

"What?" Pineshade snapped, the fur on her shoulders already rising defensively.

"I didn't say anything," Frostmask muttered, turning away from her.

Frostmask figured it was better to just walk away than to start another fight. She'd try again a different day to make up with Pineshade. A day when Dampfang wasn't around.

"But, I can tell you want to say something," Pineshade said, the snarl obvious in her voice. "You've already spent the past moon brooding on it. So, just spit it out, Frostmask."

Frostmask clenched her jaw, then turned to face her. Pineshade was glaring at her, her spiky black fur prickling.

_Fine._

Pineshade wanted to hear her grievances? Then she'd tell her. But, not in front of all their clan-mates.

Frostmask jerked her chin towards the thorn tunnel and stalked out of camp, leaving Pineshade to follow. Frostmask led them a ways away into the forest, until she could be reassured that no clan-mates back in camp would overhear them. Then she turned to Pineshade. Frostmask exhaled forcefully through her nose, trying to wrangle her emotions under control.

"Look, you know I don't like Dampfang," Frostmask said, doing her best to keep her voice level and calm despite the annoyance that smarted just beneath the surface. "Even ignoring all the frog-brained stuff that happened today, I don't think he's a good mate for you, and I don't even think he's a nice cat—"

"You don't know the side of him that I do," Pineshade snapped, and Frostmask felt her calm facade starting to crumble.

"I just don't understand," Frostmask growled, attempting but failing to stifle the anger that boiled inside her. "Out of all the cats in the clan, why him? There are so many other _nicer_ toms. Why did you have to pick the one that's tormented me the most out of anyone?! And, hasn't even ever apologized for it!"

Pineshade lashed her tail agitatedly. But, she looked more torn than angry.

"I'm sorry about what Dampfang's done to you," Pineshade said. "But, I told you that I'd do my best to make sure that he's never like that again. And, ultimately, the reason I'm with him has nothing to do with you."

"But, don't you care about me?" Frostmask snapped, her back arching defensively as she took a pace back from Pineshade.

Frostmask's eyes stung as she blinked hard at Pineshade. The subdued embers of hurt and anger now suddenly roared to life like a fire in her chest. A part of her hated how she was being right now. She knew she was losing control again, just like what had happened when she spoke to Autumnleap. Her paws shook and her heart hammered in her ears, urging her to flee from the source of her distress. But, she dug her paws into the freezing snow, determined not to run away this time.

Pineshade stared at her, and her demeanor softened, the fur on her back flattening. Frostmask found her tension also easing some in response to Pineshade's deescalation.

"Of course I care about you, frog-brain," Pineshade murmured. "But, I also love Dampfang."

Pineshade's amber eyes were pleading like they were the first time she told Frostmask about Dampfang, asking for her to understand. Frostmask forced her posture to relax, loosening her taunt muscles with some difficulty. Frostmask stared down at the ground as the icy air around her cooled the anger in her chest.

"He doesn't deserve it," Frostmask muttered to the snow.

Pineshade didn't say anything in response, evidently knowing that there was nothing she could do to change Frostmask's mind on that front. Silence hung between them for a long few heartbeats as Frostmask tried to figure out what to say.

_Grovepelt's right. There's room for more than one cat in someone's heart. I should try to act like it, instead of fighting with Dampfang over Pineshade like she's some kind of prize to be won._

Frostmask sighed heavily and all at once, she felt the rest of the anger drain out of her.

"I spoke with Grovepelt this morning," Frostmask said in a low voice, glancing back up at Pineshade.

Pineshade angled an ear in her direction.

"Oh, you did?" she asked.

"Yeah," Frostmask said. "…He helped me see some sense."

"He has an infuriating way of doing that," Pineshade said drily.

Frostmask felt a soft purr rising in her throat, one that Pineshade echoed, and the tension between them began melting away like snow in warm sunlight.

"I'm sorry for how I've been ignoring you," Frostmask meowed, blinking at her. "I still don't agree with you being with Dampfang… but I care about you too. And, I want to be your friend. As long as I didn't already ruin that by being a badger for the past moon."

Pineshade shook her head.

"You didn't ruin anything, frog-brain," she meowed. "I know it must've come as a shock to you."

Frostmask sighed.

"Honestly, I don't know if I'll ever understand it," she admitted.

Pineshade took a few paces closer so she could stand by Frostmask's side.

"Then I won't try to convince you," Pineshade said in a quiet voice. "If you don't want me too."

Frostmask nodded, and Pineshade cast her a glance out of the corner of her eye.

"And, I won't try to make you forgive him either," she murmured.

"Thank you," Frostmask said.

Pineshade arched a brow at her, her expression becoming more light-hearted.

"And, I propose we should try to limit the time all of us patrol together too," Pineshade said drily.

Frostmask purred in response.

"That I can definitely agree with," she meowed.

Frostmask felt lighter than she had in a while as the two of them began to pad back towards camp, walking side by side. It felt like she'd been walking on a thorn in her pad for the past moon, and she finally had dug it out. Maybe the wound hadn't completely sealed over yet, but at least now it was beginning to heal.

"Okay, well now that we've agreed that we're friends again," Pineshade said and Frostmask purred quietly at the playfulness in her voice. "I'm dying to know: what's up with Autumnleap? For the past few days, he's been going around looking like someone's put mouse-bile in his water. But, the frog-brain won't _tell me_ what's wrong when I ask him, of course."

Frostmask jerked in surprise at the sudden mention of Autumnleap and stumbled over her own paws in what was probably the most obviously suspicious manner possible. Pineshade stopped walking to stare at Frostmask. Her black-furred tail started to twitch in badly contained excitement.

"Oh, you _know_ something don't you?" Pineshade meowed.

"I- I-" Frostmask tripped over her tongue as she felt embarrassed heat rising to her ears.

Pineshade started to purr in amusement, which just made Frostmask's pelt warm more.

"This must be _good!"_ Pineshade's amber eyes shone with eagerness as if she was dying to know what piece of juicy gossip Frostmask had on Autumnleap. "Come on! Tell me!"

Frostmask groaned, dipping her chin to rasp her tongue over her chest fur in a futile attempt to quell her embarrassment.

_What do I do?_

Pineshade had already figured out that Frostmask knew what happened, so there was no use lying to her. Frostmask could tell her that she didn't want to talk about it, but that'd just be delaying the inevitable. Pineshade was obviously very curious, and Frostmask knew that she was an easier target for Pineshade than Autumnleap. So knowing the determined she-cat, Pineshade would just relentlessly needle Frostmask until she caved. Telling her now seemed like the less-painful option.

…Maybe it actually wouldn't be so bad. Although Pineshade certainly couldn't offer the warm support Poolcloud could, she was analytical and clever. Maybe Pineshade had some insight into the situation which Frostmask had missed.

"Well?" Pineshade prompted, her tail flicking from side to side behind her.

"It's horribly embarrassing," Frostmask meowed in a low voice. "But, not for who you think."

Pineshade tilted her head to the side, considering.

"...You?" Pineshade said slowly.

"Yes," Frostmask admitted.

Pineshade's eyes stretched wide.

"What happened?" she demanded.

Frostmask sighed heavily and padded over to the shelter of a nearby spruce tree to take a seat on ground that wasn't covered in snow. Pineshade mirrored her, her curious gaze never wavering from Frostmask's face.

"We got into a fight," she muttered.

Pineshade blinked in surprise.

"You two never fight," she meowed.

"There's a first time for everything," Frostmask said with bitter humor.

Pineshade tilted her head to the side again.

"I did notice that you and him didn't seem to be spending much time together recently," Pineshade meowed. "But, I wasn't sure if I was imagining it."

"We've hardly talked in days," Frostmask admitted.

Pineshade's already wide eyes went as round as moons.

"That's serious," she said.

Frostmask nodded grimly, giving a reluctant sigh. She braced herself. She had to tell Pineshade the full story.

"What happened was..." Frostmask mewed haltingly. "Well... he told me that he loved me, and I got overwhelmed and ran away from him."

For a heartbeat, Pineshade just stared at her in silence as Frostmask's words sunk in.

 _"Everything's ruined,"_ Frostmask sighed.

 _"Oh is that all?"_ Pineshade meowed at the same time.

Frostmask blinked at Pineshade in confusion.

"What?" she meowed. "What do you mean?"

Pineshade's brow furrowed.

"I was expecting something much worse," Pineshade said, giving a dismissive tail-flick. "You've just bruised his ego a bit. He'll get over it."

 _"I ran away from him,"_ Frostmask emphasized, staring at her in bewilderment.

"Not the best choice in response," Pineshade admitted. "But, the situation just doesn't really seem like that big of a deal? What I'm most surprised about is that you two haven't talked about something like this sooner. I mean, given the way he's been mooning after you for seasons."

Frostmask felt her fur flush with heat again.

"I didn't know that," she muttered, staring down at her paws.

Pineshade purred in amusement.

"You had no idea?" Pineshade meowed. "Autumnleap isn't like exactly the _most_ subtle cat in the forest."

Frostmask felt her pelt growing even warmer at Pineshade's teasing.

"Maybe I suspected something, towards the end," Frostmask said. "But, I didn't, I guess, think the confession would be so... _abrupt."_

Pineshade arched a brow at her.

"Was it abrupt though?" she meowed. "I mean, clearly you weren't picking up on any of the hints, so what other choice did he have but to tell you? If you were just a little less oblivious—"

"Pineshade!" Frostmask complained. "Not helping!"

Pineshade rolled her eyes but gave a brief purr.

"Alright, I'll stop," Pineshade meowed.

She prodded Frostmask's side with her paw playfully.

"You just make teasing you so easy," Pineshade purred.

Frostmask swatted Pineshade's paw away, but the movement wasn't angry.

"But, it's a serious situation!" Frostmask meowed. "I'm worried that he doesn't want anything to do with me! I feel like our friendship is ruined..."

Pineshade's tail twitched as she thought.

"He probably just needs more time," she meowed after a few heartbeats of silence. "I don't think you've ruined your friendship. I mean, I'm sure his feelings might still be a bit hurt, but Autumnleap acts like you personally put the sun and the moon in the sky. He's not gonna stop thinking that just because of this argument."

Frostmask ducked her head at the unexpectedly sweet comment from Pineshade.

"Besides, if Autumnleap and I can still mostly get along after all the snake-dung that we've done to each other in the past," Pineshade continued with a shrug. "Then you two will definitely be able to make up."

Frostmask nervously kneaded her claws into the hard ground.

"But, it's more than an argument," Frostmask murmured. "He was being vulnerable with me and I… I…"

"Ripped his exposed underbelly open?" Pineshade suggested, her eyes gleaming with dark humor.

Frostmask stared at her, aghast.

"That's terrible!" Frostmask gasped, the mental image of Autumnleap's wounded stomach after the SkyClan battle appearing in her mind.

"Stabbed him in the heart?" Pineshade amended, titling her head.

 _"Pineshade!"_ Frostmask said, widening her eyes at her.

"Have you talked to him about what happened?" Pineshade briskly continued on, ignoring her.

Frostmask's tail twitched.

"I apologized for running away from him," Frostmask meowed softly. "But, we didn't really talk about the conversation itself… honestly I've kinda been avoiding him because it's just really awkward, and I'm really embarrassed."

Pineshade arched a brow at her, her expression somehow amused, bemused, and pitying at the same time. It was as if Pineshade was watching a snake bite at its own side rather than the piece of fresh-kill in front of it. Wondering if she should intervene and try to help the poor creature, or if she should just watch the entertaining self-inflicted tragedy unfold.

"What?" Frostmask meowed defensively.

Pineshade gave the most exaggerated eye roll that Frostmask had ever seen, but managed to hold in the taunts that clearly sat on the tip of her tongue.

"Maybe the solution is to actually talk with him about the conversation and your feelings?" Pineshade said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "I mean, how _do_ you feel about him? Do you like him as more than a friend?"

Frostmask scuffled her paws on the ground, not making eye-contact with Pineshade.

"I'm not sure," she mumbled. "Everything is so _confusing_. I feel like I never really thought about him that way before... back when I was oblivious I mean. And, now I don't know... But, I don't feel like I want a mate right now. I just want things to be like they were before. I want things to be normal."

"Then tell him that," Pineshade said with a flick of her tail.

Frostmask flipped her tail worriedly as a line from her conversation with Autumnleap came back to her: her asking him why things couldn't be normal, and him telling her that he couldn't go on like that.

Frostmask looked at Pineshade.

"He won't like hearing that," Frostmask murmured.

"Okay, sure," Pineshade said, waving her tail dismissively. "But, it's tons better than running away from him and then barely speaking to him. I mean, since you've been avoiding him, he's probably got his tail twisted into a dozen knots, worried that you hate him now because he confessed to you."

Frostmask felt a heavy stone drop down into her stomach, and her eyes widened.

"Oh," she breathed in a soft voice. "I hadn't thought about that."

Pineshade snorted with amusement.

"Of course you didn't, frog-brain," she said, her amber eyes glinting as if she couldn't resist the final jab. "So, you've got nowhere to go but up."


	30. Among the Ice

Frostmask's tail flicked with nervousness as she sought out Autumnleap later that evening. Her gaze scanned across the camp, searching for his auburn pelt, but instead, her eyes first found two black pelts eating prey close to the fresh-kill pile. Dampfang lifted his head from the mouse he was sharing with Pineshade like he had felt Frostmask’s gaze brush over him. He shot her a sour look, and the fur on the back of Frostmask’s neck prickled. She wasn’t exactly sure what Sedgestar told Dampfang when they talked earlier about the Carrionplace incident. But if Dampfang’s acrid look was any indication, he must have been harshly scolded in the very least.

Frostmask glanced away, breaking the eye contact first as to not provoke him. Knowing Dampfang, he probably blamed Frostmask for whatever trouble he got in with Sedgestar. And, Frostmask and Pineshade just made up… so she should try not to be hostile.

Her eyes then finished their patrol around the camp, finally spotting Autumnleap hidden in the long shadows cast from Clanrock.

Her feud with Dampfang immediately forgotten, Frostmask’s heart began to thump in her ears. A powerful urge to avoid him tugged at her paws, but Frostmask took a deep breath to steady herself and then made her feet walk in his direction.

Her paws squelched in the cold slush as she crossed the camp. After the snowfall had stopped earlier that day, it had warmed up enough to start melting the top layer of snow. But, now that the sun hung low in the sky, the temperature was dropping again, and Frostmask knew the slush would be frozen over and slick ice under her paws soon enough.

When she made it to the base of Clanrock, Frostmask stopped a few tail-lengths away from Autumnleap and waited for him to glance over at her.

“Er— hey,” Frostmask said, her voice an awkward high-pitched squeak when he looked at her.

Autumnleap’s gaze flickered away.

“Hey,” he said quietly.

“I’m taking Lizardpaw to the Burnt Sycamore for some battle training, do you want to come with me?” Frostmask asked, forcing the words out quickly.

Autumnleap’s brow furrowed slightly.

“Shouldn’t you ask someone who also has an apprentice?” he said after a pause. “Like Pineshade?”

Frostmask flicked her tail with nervous energy.

“But, I want you to come,” she murmured. “I’m sure Lizardpaw would be happy to show you his progress. And, besides… I want to talk to you.”

After another moment of hesitation, Autumnleap nodded slowly, and he rose to his paws.

“Thanks,” Frostmask breathed. “Let me just go get Lizardpaw.”

Frostmask fetched Lizardpaw from the apprentice’s den, and when she emerged from the holly bush, she saw Autumnleap already waiting for them by the thorn tunnel. Frostmask padded over to him, before signaling for Lizardpaw to take the lead as the three of them headed into the forest.

Frostmask was silent for the first part of the walk to the Burnt Sycamore, working up the nerve to talk to Autumnleap. Lizardpaw trotted along a few tail-lengths in front of her, but he clearly sensed something was up because he kept casting curious glances back at them from over his shoulder.

Frostmask tilted her chin up to study the intricate network of pine needles in the canopy overhead for a moment before glancing back down and watching a stray, withered sycamore leaf scurry across the snowy slush-- content at looking anywhere else but at Autumnleap’s face. A part of Frostmask wished that he would start the conversation so that she didn’t have to. But, she knew that she was the one that invited him here, so it made sense that she was the one that started the talk…

Frostmask released a tense breath slowly.

“I want to talk about what happened with the two of us…” Frostmask’s voice was quiet even though she knew Lizardpaw couldn’t hear her either way. “Out in the woods, I mean.”

Autumnleap was silent, and Frostmask couldn’t make herself look at him to see his expression.

“I know I’ve already apologized about running away from you,” she murmured to the ground. “But, I feel like it wasn’t enough. I’m not just sorry for running away, but I’m also sorry for how that must’ve hurt you. And, for avoiding you for the past few days. I should’ve talked with you about it then. It wasn’t right of me. To be such a mouse-heart…”

An edge of anger entered her voice for a moment as she lashed her tail, staring out into the quickly darkening trees as they padded along. But, she stilled herself again before continuing.

“You were being vulnerable with me, and I- I- I couldn’t handle it.” Frostmask’s chin bobbed down to her chest as she dipped her head in shame. “I’m sorry.”

Autumnleap still said nothing— just a silent shadow walking at her shoulder. As the moments stretched on, worry mounted in Frostmask’s chest that he wouldn’t respond at all, but then a sigh whispered from him.

“I’m sorry too,” he murmured. “I shouldn’t’ve sprung that on you like that…”

Frostmask was finally able to look at him, and she saw him staring out into the trees and working his jaw as if he wasn’t sure what to say.

“I was impatient, but that wasn’t fair,” he continued finally. “I think I knew, deep down, that you weren’t ready. Or…”

He hadn’t really been looking at her, but he still turned his face away from her direction to gaze down at the ground.

“Or, you don’t feel the same,” he murmured. “But, I still told you. I shouldn’t’ve forced it onto you like that.”

A small look of bitter humor twisted onto his face.

“I’m not sure what other reaction I expected, honestly,” he said.

Frostmask twitched her tail guiltily at those words as she gazed at him. A beat of silence hung in the air between them.

“I’ve missed you,” she whispered, finally drawing his amber eyes over to hers. “I’ve been miserable without having you around and knowing that I hurt you… But, you’re right.”

She swallowed, her mouth dry.

“I don’t want a mate right now… but I do want my friend,” she murmured.

Frostmask blinked hard and looked away from him.

“ …If you still want to be my friend,” she rasped to the snow under her feet.

“Of course!” Autumnleap exclaimed in a shocked voice, bringing her gaze back over to him.

Their eyes met and his gaze seemed to soften like honey left out in a pool of sunshine.

“You’ll _always_ be my friend,” he said.

“You’re not mad?” Frostmask meowed hoarsely, her voice quiet but incredulous.

Autumnleap shook his head.

“Maybe a bit disappointed,” he admitted. “That things didn’t turn out exactly as I hoped… But, I’m not mad at you.”

Frostmask felt a stab of guilt.

“I’m sorry that I’m not ready…” she murmured. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

He gave his head a sharp shake.

“Don’t apologize for that,” he said. “You have every right to feel the way you do.”

Frostmask’s tail twitched.

“It might be easier if we lived in a world where I didn’t,” she pointed out.

He shrugged, some of his easy nature returning as the tension between them slowly melted away.

“But, in that case, would you still be you?” he said. “Would I even feel the same way then?”

Autumnleap’s whiskers twitched in faint amusement.

“I’ve doomed myself to misery,” he said drily.

Frostmask purred softly and bumped her shoulder gently against his. She felt herself relaxing as well. As easy as lying down and falling into sleep on a well-worn nest, their natural patterns of interactions started to slip back into place.

“Don’t say that!” she scolded.

Autumnleap purred.

“It’s alright,” he meowed. “I’ve accepted that this is my lot in life. Unrequited pining.”

Frostmask looked away from him as nervousness suddenly swirled around her again.

“You know, it doesn’t have anything to do with you, really,” she whispered. “It’s me. I just… can’t. Not right now at least. I… I—“

Frostmask glanced back over to see him patiently watching her. Frostmask’s tail-twitched as her frustration grew at the fact she couldn’t figure out a better way of explaining her feelings beyond _I can’t._

Autumnleap studied her carefully as if he noticed the growing desperation in her eyes. He bumped her shoulder back with his gently.

“It’s okay,” he meowed. “I was just teasing.”

Autumnleap’s expression grew more serious.

“But… if I don’t have a chance,” he said in a soft voice, barely above a breath. “Honestly, it would be easier for me if you just tell me now. So I can try to move on.”

A small bit of his humor reappeared in his eyes.

“Put me out of some of my misery,” he added. “But, if I do…”

He glanced away from her, his ears twisting back in a hint of shyness.

“Then I’ll wait for you. However long you need,” he whispered.

Frostmask felt her heart thumping in her ears. She bent her head to rasp her tongue down her chest fur self-consciously, feeling her heart tighten from nervousness and some other faceless emotion.

“You know how after Swoopstrike died, I told you that I didn’t know what I’d do if I lost you too?” Frostmask murmured. “Well, I meant it, you know. And, that’s kinda the problem.”

Frostmask could feel the heat of his eyes on her even though she didn’t look at him.

“I don’t know how to…” Her voice trailed off as she struggled to find the words. “If I truly loved you, then losing you would be _devastating,_ even more than it already would be now. I can’t open my heart to that kind of pain. I can’t do it…”

She blinked her eyes hard.

“I’m sorry,” she rasped, her voice wavering. “I feel like there’s something broken in me. Grovepelt says that connections are the only things that make life worth living, but the pain feels like it would be too much. You are still my friend. Truly. My _best_ friend… But, we can’t be anything more, at least not right now. It’s not even that I don’t want to. It’s that I _can’t._ ”

Frostmask felt the fur on her side stir as Autumnleap gently brushed his pelt against hers.

“It’s alright, Frostmask," he murmured. “And, I don’t think you’re broken.”

Frostmask glanced over at him, and he gave a soft, gentle purr, his amber eyes warm.

“‘Broken’ is permanent,” he continued. “You’re just hurt… but that’s okay. Everyone gets hurt sometimes. And, you can heal from that.”

Frostmask lowered her eyes, sighing quietly and wishing she had Autumnleap’s optimism.

“You don’t believe me?” Autumnleap said, reading her thoughts on her face.

She glanced back up at him.

“I want to,” she murmured. “But, it seems like a big thing to heal from… It feels permanent. Or, at least, it feels like something that I’ve carried with me for a very long time.”

Autumnleap lightly chuckled, and Frostmask shot him a sharp glance of surprise.

“What’s so funny?” she said.

He half-shrugged.

“It’s just that…” he meowed. “Weren’t you the one who told me that nothing stays? One day we’ll all die and even the stars themselves will burn out, or something like that?”

Frostmask’s tail twitched.

“I don’t think I said it quite that dramatically,” she said drily. “But, I recall that conversation. Although I still don’t understand your point?”

Autumnleap pointed his muzzle up into the air to indicate the first few stars of Silverpelt that had appeared in the darkening sky, twinkling down at them through the pine branches.

“Well if change is so inevitable that one day even the stars’ll be gone, what makes you think that this isn’t something that can change?” he asked. “Why does everything only change for the worse, not for the better?”

Frostmask followed his gaze upwards.

“Because death is the conclusion of everything,” she said softly as the starlight reflected in her eyes. “So, in the end, that’s all that’s left, right? That’s just how the world works.”

Frostmask caught a flicker of movement in the corner of her eye, and she glanced over to see Autumnleap shaking his head.

“I don’t think that’s right,” Autumnleap meowed. “I don’t think change is good or bad. It’s just _different._ ”

“Even death?” Frostmask said, raising a brow at him.

Autumnleap shrugged.

“Sure,” he agreed. “I mean, there’s StarClan waiting for us then. And, for the creatures that don’t have our StarClan… who can say that there’s not a sky out there that’s all their own? Or, maybe they have something else entirely. Maybe they’re reborn into something new.”

“Maybe…” Frostmask echoed, although her tail still swished skeptically.

Autumnleap flashed her a warm look.

“Besides, in the end, death isn’t the conclusion of everything,” Autumnleap said. “If it was, how’s the world been going on for so long? Why isn’t everything dead yet? I think there’s just as much life and happiness out here as death and sadness.”

Autumnleap nudged her shoulder with his muzzle.

“If you weren’t so doom and gloom all the time, you’d be able to see that,” he teased.

A small purr rumbled in Frostmask’s throat, and she glanced away from him for a moment.

“Funny,” she murmured. “Grovepelt told me something similar just earlier.”

A loud purr burst from Autumnleap.

“He called you ‘doom and gloom’ too?” he asked, his amber eyes twinkling. “I wish I’d heard that.”

Frostmask swatted a paw at him, trying to cuff him around his ears, but Autumnleap swiftly ducked it and playfully bounded away, out of her reach.

“You know that’s not what I meant, frog-brain,” Frostmask huffed in mock annoyance, but a warm flame kindled in her chest.

Lizardpaw glanced back at them then, his attention attracted from the small vibrations in the icy ground made by their little scuffle. He cocked his head at them in a curious manner, his gaze asking them what was going on.

Autumnleap purred as he bounded up to walk close to Lizardpaw’s side.

 _'Let’s do something fun. Let’s have a race,'_ Autumnleap signed, and Lizardpaw’s large ears pricked up in interest.

Frostmask padded up to Autumnleap’s other side so she could more easily make out what he was signing. Autumnleap slackened his pace, slowing the the patrol so he could better use his paws.

 _'First one to the Burnt Sycamore wins?'_ Autumnleap suggested, hardly able to keep his tail from flicking with eagerness, even as he used it in his signs.

Lizardpaw’s tail began to flick too. He nodded in agreement, before glancing at Frostmask to see what she’d say. Autumnleap followed his gaze over to her as well. A purr began to build in Frostmask’s throat, a familiar feeling of contentedness wrapping around her like a warm pelt.

She had missed this. Not just Autumnleap’s playfulness or his teasing. But, the gentle ease she felt only with him; a sense that if all else failed, he’d still be there for her. Her world had been upended for the past few days when she feared she’d lost that. But, now everything seemed right again.

“Why would you challenge me to a race that you know you’re going to lose?”Frostmask spoke and signed because she knew Autumnleap wasn’t as fluent in paw-sign as her.

Lizardpaw began to purr in amusement, and a competitive gleam entered Autumnleap’s eyes.

“Don’t count me out yet,” Autumnleap meowed, doing his best to sign along.

Then Frostmask shot forward without warning. With each step, her paws crunched through the newly frozen thin layer of ice that coated the snowy ground as she tore through the trees in the direction of the Burnt Sycamore.

Frostmask could hear Lizardpaw’s paw-steps right behind her, but Autumnleap’s voice echoed up from further back.

“Snake-heart!” he shouted, trailing after them. “You didn’t even say ‘go!’”

Frostmask just purred, enjoying her lead. The victory was short-lived, however, because it was only a matter of moments before Lizardpaw overtook Frostmask, his longer legs easily eating up the ground in large, loping strides.

Frostmask continued to purr as he passed her, and she slowed her pace. There was no way she’d catch Lizardpaw— he had her beat with both stride-length and energy level— so it was difficult for her to urge herself to push on quicker. And, although she knew she was faster than Autumnleap, it seemed like it’d be more enjoyable to run at his side, simply appreciating the brisk sprint through the forest. Like they’d often done when they were younger.

Autumnleap angled an ear towards her in surprise as she dropped back beside him.

“Don’t feel like making me eat dust today?” he meowed between pants.

Frostmask purred.

“I figured I’d give you this win, slow-tail,” Frostmask said.

It wasn’t long before the lone twisted figure of the Burnt Sycamore appeared between the gaps of the trees in front of them, illuminated by the light of the waxing moon. Frostmask slowed as she noticed Lizardpaw waiting for them at the edge of the clearing surrounding the Sycamore, instead of at the tree’s base, where she expected him to be. Lizardpaw was gazing out at the clearing with a furrowed brow, but he glanced over as Autumnleap and Frostmask trotted up to him.

 _What’s wrong?_ Frostmask asked him.

Lizardpaw just looked back towards the snowy clearing and gestured to it with a nod in answer. Frostmask followed his gaze over. Autumnleap took a few steps into the clearing and immediately cursed as he went sliding, his legs slipping out from under him, and he fell on his side.

“This top part of the snow is pure ice,” Autumnleap reported as he carefully lifted himself back to his paws.

Frostmask reached a hesitant paw out to test the surface herself, and sure enough, she felt a layer of slick ice under her pad. Frostmask pressed down on it, but unlike the whisker-width thin ice that coated the snow in the forest, this patch of ice refused to break under her foot. It didn’t even crack or complain a bit under Autumnleap’s weight as he now stood, a bit wobbly, on top of it. Frostmask surveyed the Burnt Sycamore clearing with a furrowed brow. It was a shallow indent in the land, lying at a slightly lower level than the forest surrounding it.

“The snow in the forest must have melted earlier, and then the water collected here before it froze over again,” Frostmask said, accompanying her words with signs. “But, that means we can’t do any training here tonight.”

“No kidding,” Autumnleap said as he slid slowly across the ice, although it seemed deliberate this time. “You’d break your jaw if you fell on your face.”

Lizardpaw glanced at her, waiting to see what Frostmask wanted them to do instead. Her ears twitched.

“Then what _should_ we do?” she wondered out loud.

“You tell me, oh wise mentor,” Autumnleap purred.

He was several fox-lengths away from her now, still sliding slowly as he drew closer to the center of the clearing. Frostmask tried to shoot him a stern glare, but she couldn’t stop her whiskers from twitching with amusement at the sight of him gliding around. The movement seemed very odd since he was simply standing upright— from that appearance, it felt like he should be completely stationary.

“Would you come back here?” Frostmask meowed. “I’m trying to think, but you’re distracting me with your sliding around.”

“It’s kind of fun actually,” Autumnleap said with a loud purr, glancing back at her from over his shoulder. “You both should try it.”

“But, we’re supposed to be doing real training with Lizardpaw!” Frostmask reminded him.

“This is training!” Autumnleap protested through his purrs. “I’m training myself how to move around on ice! I think I’m getting the hang of it now.”

Frostmask rolled her eyes, about to reprimand him again, but when she glanced back towards Autumnleap, she blinked in surprise to see Lizardpaw now on the ice with him.

“Lizardpaw!” Frostmask gasped at the betrayal.

Lizardpaw was purring and slipping and sliding all over the clearing, his lanky legs sometimes splaying out from around him as he slid around, going much faster than Autumnleap was. Lizardpaw glanced back over at Frostmask, his blue eyes shimmering as a clear invitation for her to join them.

“Now you have to come too, Frostmask!” Autumnleap purred, calling from nearly the other side of the clearing now. “If it helps, you can think of it as battle training in case we need to fight on icy ground!”

Frostmask purred and shook her head.

“You’re insufferable!” Frostmask shouted at him, although there was no real anger in her voice.

She hesitantly lay a paw on the ice.

“It’s part of my charm!” Autumnleap’s voice echoed back at her.

After reaching the other side of the clearing, he had changed direction, and he was heading back towards Frostmask now. Frostmask carefully placed all four paws on the ice, her legs wobbling, struggling to keep her upright as she tried to take a step.

“No, no,” Autumnleap’s voice said, much clearer now as he drew closer to her. “Don’t try to walk on it. Just push off of something more solid and let yourself glide around.”

Frostmask shot him a look.

“Oh so you’re the expert on ice-walking now?” she teased.

Autumnleap appeared thoughtful as he slid closer to her. He was only a few fox-lengths away now.

“I wouldn’t call it ice-walking, since, as I said, you don’t actually want to walk on the ice,” he meowed. “But, yes. I am the expert.”

“What _should_ we call it then?” Frostmask asked.

She followed Autumnleap’s instruction and pushed off the less icy ground behind her with a hind paw, then just let herself glide forward. However, she did still have to wave her tail for balance, or else she would fall off her feet. Autumnleap glided next to her, silently offering his side for her to steady herself against.

“Ice-fighting? It is ‘battle training’ after all,” Autumnleap said with a mischievous gleam in his eyes.

Frostmask huffed out air, partly in amusement and partly in exasperation with Autumnleap, but she allowed herself to lean against his side for support anyway. Her gaze flickered over to Lizardpaw, and she tracked him as he went spinning across the clearing, looking almost breathless with laughter. A quiet purr rumbled in Frostmask’s throat. She did love that Lizardpaw was having so much fun, and that at least made Autumnleap’s ridiculous endeavor here worth it.

“The worst part of all this is that you’ve turned my own apprentice against me,” Frostmask complained, twitching her tail playfully. “Now he’s never gonna listen to me if you’re around.”

Autumnleap purred.

“Oh I don’t know about that,” he said. “You’re his mentor. He’ll always be fanatically loyal to you. I’m sure he’ll remember this not as the time that Autumnleap had a fantastic idea about the ice, but as the time that Frostmask, his mentor, let him play on the ice.”

Frostmask gave a triumphant swish of her tail.

“A-ha! So you admit that it’s play!” she said.

“Did I say play?” Autumnleap said, widening his amber eyes in his most innocent expression. “I meant super-serious battle training.”

Before Frostmask could retort, Lizardpaw went sliding over to them, just narrowly missing colliding with her side before he stopped himself a few tail-lengths away. Autumnleap and Frostmask came to a stop as well.

 _'Watch this,'_ Lizardpaw managed to sign without losing his balance on the ice.

Then he spun in a dizzying circle for a few long moments, nothing but a white-furred blur. When he came out of it, he looked a bit unsteady on his paws, but he was purring quite loudly.

“Very impressive,” Autumnleap said with a sage nod. “I think you’ve mastered the technique of ice-fighting, young apprentice.”

Frostmask interpreted Autumnleap for Lizardpaw, leaning against Autumnleap to keep her balance as she did so. When she finished Lizardpaw gave Autumnleap an exaggerated, deep bow of his head, and slid backwards on the ice. Purrs rumbled from both Autumnleap’s and Frostmask’s throats.

They spent a while like that, chasing each other around the ice, slipping and sliding in circles, sometimes on purpose and sometimes not. Frostmask tried to stick close to Autumnleap the whole time. She couldn’t seem to find her balance on the ice as easily as Lizardpaw and Autumnleap did and appreciated Autumnleap’s support.

After they had played for a bit, Autumnleap cast a glance upwards to study the moon’s position in the sky for a few moments.

“Well this was fun, but we should probably start some real training or we’ll be out all night,” Autumnleap meowed, causing Frostmask’s ears to prick upwards in surprise.

“Autumnleap suggesting training over playing?” Frostmask gasped in mock shock. “I thought you were supposed to be the fun one.”

They were now beginning to slide back towards the edge of the clearing. Autumnleap chuckled lightly.

“You’re being too hard on yourself,” he said teasingly. “You can be fun _sometimes_ too.”

Once Frostmask stepped off the slick surface of the ice, she called Lizardpaw back to her with a wave of her tail.

“Let’s just hunt then for a bit, then head back to camp,” Frostmask meowed and paw-signed as Lizardpaw came gliding over to her. “We’ll make up battle training another day.”

They set back out into the forest, heading back in the direction of camp. Frostmask had Lizardpaw lead the way again, so he could use his keen nose to sniff out the prey hiding deep in their cozy burrows.

Lizardpaw’s ears pricked in attention when he caught a scent, and he led Frostmask and Autumnleap a ways through the trees. Lizardpaw then stopped, flicking his ears to indicate a small mound of snow at the roots of a tree a few fox-lengths ahead of them. Frostmask opened her mouth, feeling the nip of the icy air on her tongue, but there was also a faint hint of the warm scent of mice. Frostmask ears twitched as she picked up the muffled sound of little scampering paws coming from under the snow. It seemed like there was a whole den of mice under there, running around in small caves and tunnels that the rodents had dug out of the snow.

“You hang back and catch any that get past us,” Frostmask breathed to Autumnleap before signaling to Lizardpaw, and the two of them glided up to the mound, putting their paws down as light as feathers on the snowy ground.

When they were close to the tree’s trunk Lizardpaw glanced up at Frostmask, looking at her for guidance as she circled the little mound of snow by the roots, her ears twitching and rotating as she did her best to pin-point the sound of scuffling. Frostmask stopped at what she felt like was the right spot, and nodded towards the ground. Without even a heartbeat of hesitation, Lizardpaw exploded into motion, slamming his paws onto the snow to shatter its hard, icy shell before shoving his face into the softer powder beneath, sniffing and snapping for the prey.

Frostmask heard several squeaks of panic from the mice as she also lunged down only a moment after Lizardpaw. Frostmask swiped blindly with her paw and let out a hiss of satisfaction when her claws hit something furry and warm. Lizardpaw reared his head up, a fat mouse wiggling in his jaws, as Frostmask hooked her mouse out of the snow. Lizardpaw went back to digging in the snow once he killed his first mouse, and Frostmask heard the sound of Autumnleap pouncing behind her as he shot after the mice which tried to escape the attack through their exit tunnels.

Lizardpaw’s snow covered face lifted with a second mouse in his mouth. This mouse looked as if it had been killed when they collapsed the snowy tunnels on top of it instead of from Lizardpaw’s fangs. Frostmask gave the churned up snow a careful sniff to make sure that they hadn’t missed any more prey as Autumnleap came trotting over to them with his own mouse in his jaws.

“Four mice isn’t bad for the middle of leaf-bare!” Autumnleap said, lifting his tail happily.

He nudged Lizardpaw’s shoulder with his muzzle.

 _'Great find!'_ he signed as he purred.

Lizardpaw’s eyes gleamed.

Autumnleap turned towards Frostmask.

“Did you see me go after those mice that tried to escape?” Autumnleap asked.

“No. Unfortunately I was too busy catching my own,” Frostmask said lightly, with a good-natured flick of her tail.

“They were in such a rush, once they came tumbling out of their tunnel, they ran right into each other! It was so funny, their little feet slipping all over the ice…”

Lizardpaw lifted his muzzle to the breeze, a quiet look of concentration on his face as he tasted the air. Frostmask kept a half an eye on him, idly wondering what new prey scent he caught, while most of her attention remained fixed on Autumnleap’s animated story.

Frostmask’s brow furrowed, and suddenly, all of her focus snapped to Lizardpaw as the expression of concentration on his face shattered to be replace with wide-eyed panic. The fur on Frostmask’s shoulders rose, and Autumnleap abruptly cut off mid-sentence when he also caught sight of Lizardpaw’s face.

Lizardpaw whirled towards the two of them, his paws, ears, and tail flying in frantic signs, moving so quickly Frostmask could hardly understand him. But, from his motions one word rang out clearly:

_'Blood.'_


	31. Blood in the Snow

Frostmask’s paws pounded against the snow and she, Autumnleap, and Lizardpaw flew through the trees and back towards their camp. Frostmask breathed in rapid pants, the fur on her back bristling as the metallic tang of blood in the air grew stronger and stronger. The hot, out-of-place scent sliced through the cold night, leaving a clear trail for them to follow.

They were close to their camp now, and yowls echoed through the forest, making Frostmask’s stomach lurch. There were voices she recognized— Darkpelt, Dustleap, Pineshade. Frostmask ground her teeth, hunching over and urging her paws to move faster.

She pulled ahead of Autumnleap and Lizardpaw. Her heart hammered hard, both to keep up with her legs and in response to the powerful instinct to fight that now seared in her bloodstream. Although Frostmask was still uncertain about what exactly was wrong, one thing seemed very clear— ShadowClan’s camp was under attack.

Frostmask’s lips curled up in a snarl as the dark trees parted around them and the thorn barrier came into view.

Righteous fury pulsed through her.

The barrier’s tunnel drew closer.

_How dare they attack my home._

She ducked under it now, the thorns raking her ears.

She would make them regret taking _a single step_ onto ShadowClan’s territory.

She burst into the camp to see a writhing mass of cats. The fishy reek of RiverClan hung heavily in the air as Frostmask rapidly took in the battle.

It was a mess.

ShadowClan had been caught thoroughly unprepared, and Frostmask could see many of her clan-mates were missing, likely out on patrols. It looked like a quick defense had been thrown up in front of the elder’s den and the medicine cats’, and Frostmask felt a quick jab of gratitude that the nursery was empty.

Then Frostmask wasted no more time, and she exploded in a blur of claws and fur onto the nearest unfamiliar pelt.

Frostmask raked her claws down a black tom’s side, feeling a jolt of vicious satisfaction at the lines of red blood it left on his pelt. The blow sent him scurrying away, yowling. Behind her, Lizardpaw and Autumnleap screeched to a stop as they exited the tunnel. Both of their pairs of eyes were wide with shock as they took in the sight of their camp under attack by RiverClan.

Frostmask glanced back at Lizardpaw and felt a sudden jolt of fear as she imagined her young apprentice taking on battle-hardened warriors.

She bounded over to Lizardpaw’s side, flicking her tail against his flank to get his attention. His eyes snapped towards her, panic clear in them. She signed quickly, flicking her tail from him to herself.

_'Stay close to me.'_

Some of the panic in his eyes dimmed, and he nodded, getting the message.

“Look out!” Autumnleap snarled as two enemy RiverClan warriors came barreling towards them.

Frostmask whirled around to face them. Moving together, she and Autumnleap split the enemies, he taking one and she the other.

Frostmask leapt onto a grey she-cat’s back, hooking her claws deeply into her skin. Lizardpaw darted in, slashing his claws across the enemy’s flanks while the she-cat snarled and buckled underneath Frostmask. The she-cat twisted her neck around, sinking her fangs deeply into Frostmask’s ankle. Frostmask hissed in pain as blood flowed from the puncture wounds. She yanked her paw back, out of the she-cat’s mouth, and caught sight of bright amber eyes in the grey-furred she-cat’s snarling face. Frostmask’s brow furrowed in sudden confusion, recognizing that distinctive gaze.

_That’s not a RiverClan warrior… that’s Suneyes of SkyClan!_

Frostmask didn’t have time to wonder why the SkyClan warrior smelt like a RiverClan cat because Suneyes, noticing Frostmask’s distraction, easily seized the opening. Before Frostmask could blink, Suneyes had fallen on her side, rolling to pin Frostmask beneath her.

_Snake-dung!_

Frostmask hissed like a trapped snake as Suneyes crushed her to the ground with her weight. But, Frostmask managed to keep her claws in the she-cat’s pelt, and she pulled out big chunks of fur and sliced through skin even as Suneyes pinned her against the snow.

“Get out of my camp, Suneyes!” Frostmask yowled.

Suddenly Suneyes was yowling in pain. Lizardpaw was clinging to her side, her ear locked in a vicious bite. Lizardpaw released Suneyes, and Frostmask kicked her as hard as she could with her hind-legs, throwing the she-cat off of her. The SkyClan warrior staggered backwards a few tail-lengths, blood dripping on her forehead from the new tear in her ear. If this had been any other battle, at this point Frostmask would’ve let her opponent slink off while she found someone more formidable to fight.

Frostmask bared her fangs at the she-cat. But, this wasn’t any other battle. This was ShadowClan’s camp. And, Frostmask would not let Suneyes go until the she-cat was fleeing their territory with her tail between her legs.

Frostmask shot forward, her claws outstretched. Suneyes dodged back with a spat, and Frostmask’s claws met only air. Frostmask landed back on all four paws before rearing up to bring her fore-paws slashing down towards the she-cat’s head, but again, Suneyes was gone, and Frostmask’s paws slammed against empty snow. Frostmask whirled back towards Suneyes with a frustrated snarl. The SkyClan warrior was quick, Frostmask would give her that much.

Suneyes shrunk backwards more, and Frostmask caught a flash of white fur behind her out of the corner of her eye— Lizardpaw circling for an opening.

Frostmask made sure not to move her gaze off of Suneyes, looking at him would give away his position, but she still flashed Lizardpaw a quick sign, dearly hoping that he was watching her. Suneyes had just enough time to blink at Frostmask in confusion about what she was doing with her paws, before Frostmask lunged forward again, and, as expected, Suneyes again danced back.

But this time, Lizardpaw slipped forward as Suneyes flashed back, and he whacked her hind-legs out from under her with a strong hit of his forepaws. Suneyes gasped as she stumbled, and that was all the hesitation Frostmask needed to leap onto the SkyClan warrior, muscling her to the ground with the help of Lizardpaw.

Frostmask felt a seething haze fill her mind as she swiped her claws through Suneyes pelt again and again while she writhed on the ground under her, wailing.

“Run away you pathetic feather-brain!” Frostmask hissed.

Frostmask finally stepped off of her, letting the she-cat up, but she didn’t give Suneyes any room to recover. Instead Frostmask lunged forward, her lips curled back in a furious snarl as she herded Suneyes towards the thorn barrier.

Suneeyes got the hint. Pelt tattered and bleeding, Suneyes turned tail and fled out of the camp.

Frostmask felt the fur on her shoulders rise as, suddenly, a loud shriek slammed into her from behind. It wasn’t a voice that she recognized, but somehow she knew it wasn’t a SkyClan cat. The scream was unusual— there were no discernible words in the wailing. But, it also somehow felt familiar, and it made Frostmask’s heart clenched in fear.

Frostmask whirled towards the voice, and she saw a dark brown tabby had pinned Lizardpaw. Silent Lizardpaw, who Frostmask had never heard make a noise besides some mewls and purrs, let out another loud heart-wrenching shriek as the tom shoved him harder against the ground and sunk his fangs into one of Lizardpaw’s forelegs, bending the leg back at an awkward angle. Lizardpaw slashed at the tom’s face with his free paw, clawing at his muzzle to try to free himself, but that seemed to just make the tabby more angry. He latched down harder on the leg, eliciting another wail from Lizardpaw.

 _“Get off of him!”_ Frostmask yowled, her mind dark with fury as she shot forward.

She barreled straight into the tabby’s side, and his jaws opened, freeing Lizardpaw. She managed to knock him away from her apprentice, but the reckless attack left her vulnerable, and now she found herself in the tabby’s claws instead. He was bigger than her, and he easily overwhelmed her with his strength, slamming her to the trampled snow. He dipped his head down towards her, a menacing, low growl rumbling in his throat.

Frostmask hissed back defiantly, kicking out with her free hind-legs to rake them down his underside, clawing at his unprotected belly, but she gasped as hot pain shot through her neck when the tom’s jaws suddenly snapped shut. Luckily, his fangs hit her shoulder and the loose skin around her scruff instead of her throat, but rather than snapping quickly and releasing, the tom clamped down hard like he had done to Lizardpaw, grinding his teeth deeper into her flesh.

A high-pitched wail of pain escaped Frostmask’s throat. She swiped her claws down his sides, and she pushed and writhed, doing everything in her power to get him off of her. But, her struggles were futile and focusing on them grew more and more difficult as pain and panic increased, eclipsing everything else.

She felt her own warm blood flowing through her chest fur.

Then out of the corner of her eye she saw a flash of auburn.

“Autumnleap!” she yowled reflexively.

Only a heartbeat later he was there.

The SkyClan warrior’s jaws opened in a gasp, and Frostmask’s neck was free. Then his weight was suddenly gone from her all at once. Frostmask’s eyes widened in shock. Autumnleap and the SkyClan tom were evenly matched in size, but he had somehow managed to wretch the tom off of Frostmask by his scruff.

Frostmask scrambled backwards on the ground, shakily gasping for breath. She pressed a paw to the puncture wounds in her neck, and she breathed a sigh of relief to find that the blood was seeping out, not gushing.

Autumnleap still had the SkyClan warrior by the back of the neck, holding him somewhere between his scruff and the base of his skull. The tabby’s head was awkwardly ducked down beneath Autumnleap’s jaws, but the tom still bucked, hissing non-stop as he tried to free himself. Autumnleap’s golden amber eyes narrowed in cold fury. He yanked his muzzle around, pulling the tabby along with him and rattling the tabby’s head until his eyes started to glaze over, and he stopped struggling. Then Autumnleap dug all four paws into the snow and threw his weight to the side, releasing the tabby as he did so. The brown tom flew several tail-lengths until his body made a dull thud against the snow.

He didn’t move, and for a heartbeat, Frostmask thought Autumnleap killed him— severed the spinal cord that ran through the tabby’s neck. But, then the brown tabby’s tail twitched, and he began to slowly pull his unsteady paws back under his body. He wasn’t dead, but he was clearly in no state to fight anymore.

“Are you alright?”

Autumnleap’s panicked face came into view. The white-hot anger that had been in his eyes just moments before was now replaced with intense worry as he looked down at Frostmask’s crumpled form.

Frostmask nodded, although her body was still shaky and the wounds burned fiercely.

“He missed anything vital,” she said. “The bleeding’s already slowing.”

“Thank StarClan,” Autumnleap gasped, bending over to press his face against hers.

Frostmask managed to get her trembling under control enough to raise herself back to her paws.

“Where’s Lizardpaw?” she asked urgently, her brow furrowed as scanned the camp. “Is he okay?”

“Snakeeyes has him,” Autumnleap said. “See, there.”

Frostmask followed Autumnleap’s gesture and exhaled gratefully as she spotted Lizardpaw’s white pelt close to Snakeeyes’ on the other side of the camp. He was limping but didn’t seem critically injured, and Snakeeyes was sticking close to him. Lizardpaw would be safe with his mother watching over him, so Frostmask’s gaze continued to scan the camp to assess the battle and search for more enemies. She stiffened when she saw Pineshade, Poolcloud, and Cricketpaw defending the elders’ den. They were outnumbered by SkyClan four to three.

“It looks like Pineshade and Poolcloud need our help,” Frostmask said, her muscles already tensing in preparation to launch herself across camp.

Autumnleap peered at her anxiously.

“Are you sure you can still fight?” he asked. “You could go to the medicine cats’ den if you wan—“

Frostmask swiftly shook her head to cut him off. She glanced down at her blood stained chest.

“I’m fine,” she said. “It looks worse than it is. I promise.”

Autumnleap still looked worried, but he nodded.

“Alright,” he said. “I’ve got your back.”

Frostmask’s neck wounds stung, but she pushed through the pain as the two of them ran across the clearing, dodging battling cats, until they reached the old pine stump that formed the elders’ den. Poolcloud was fighting two cats at once, and Cricketpaw, who had no battle training at all, was very overwhelmed by the warrior who was after her. Cricketpaw seemed to be doing more dodging than fighting at the moment.

“I’ll help Poolcloud, you get Cricketpaw,” Frostmask panted.

Autumnleap gave a curt nod, then sprung towards Cricketpaw’s attacker. Poolcloud was reared up on his back paws as he swatted at the enemy warriors, but even Poolcloud, as large as he was, couldn’t hold off two cats forever.

Deciding that she should take a more careful approach to her attack this time, Frostmask darted in to deliver a swift slash down one of the cat’s sides before springing back out of reach. The black and orange cat whirled toward her, snarling. Frostmask bared her fangs in response and shot forward with a flurry of swipes towards the cat’s face. She landed a couple of blows before the warrior dodged, leaping over Frostmask. Frostmask whirled back towards them, her neck and shoulder wounds throbbing in protest.

_Stupid SkyClan cats and their stupid jumping!_

She lunged at the cat, her jaws snapping shut a whisker width away from a tortoiseshell ear, causing the cat to jerk back in alarm. Frostmask pressed them harder, locking her gaze on their face while swiping at their feet with her paw. The cat managed to pirouette away from her hit and… right into Poolcloud.

“Need some help?” Poolcloud asked Frostmask as he landed a blow on the cat’s side so powerful that it knocked them to the ground.

Frostmask blinked. Poolcloud had such a gentle nature, most of the time she forgot his soft and fluffy pelt hid hardened muscles. She shook off her surprise quickly though, springing onto the tortoiseshell to pin them to the snow, raking her claws down their shoulders for good measure.

“Leave our camp!” Frostmask yowled down at the cat as she lunged down to sink her fangs into their side so they knew she was serious.

The tortoiseshell hissed in pain, and Frostmask let them up and watched them shoot towards the thorn tunnel.

“The medicine cats’ den!” Poolcloud yowled, snapping her attention to the cave.

She watched the tails of three enemy warriors disappear inside of the medicine cats’ den. Dawntail, who had been one of the cats defended the den’s entrance, now lay injured at the base of Clanrock. Elmclaw had been putting his old warrior training to good use to help her block the cave, but he was now forced away from the den by two warriors. Still, he struggled hard against them, trying to break free so he could protect his patients.

Pineshade was the closest of their group to Clanrock, and she wasted no time. She barreled straight into the medicine cats’ den after the three warriors. Frostmask jolted into motion, her paws following Pineshade. Frostmask’s heart pounded, and her wounds pulsed in rhythm with it, but Frostmask pushed the pain away. If Pineshade was trapped in the den by the three enemies, that could be a death sentence for her, and Frostmask wasn’t losing another friend to SkyClan.

Frostmask sprinted into the cave, blinking as her eyes adjusted to the almost pitch-black den. She spotted the sick cats, along with Cedarpaw, sheltering in the very back of the cave, Clearstream in front of them. A fearsome snarl marred the normally gentle medicine cat’s face as she hissed at the enemy warriors, her back arched and long grey tabby fur bristled out like a pinecone.

The enemy warriors were in the midsection of the cave. One seemed to be keeping an eye on Clearstream and the sick cats while the other two dug through Clearstream’s and Elmclaw’s herb storage in the nooks in the cave’s wall, scattering the carefully piled leaves.

Frostmask didn’t waste time trying to figure out what they were doing with the herbs because Pineshade launched herself at one of the cats.

“Push them out of the cave!” Pineshade hissed at Frostmask as she leapt to Pineshade’s aid.

Frostmask nodded curtly. She managed to wedge herself around the enemies to get between them and the back wall, getting only a scratched pelt from one of the SkyClan cats in the process. Frostmask puffed out her fur to make herself look larger. She yowled at her enemies as she sprung forward to slam her paws against the side of a dappled brown she-cat as hard as she could, shoving her a few tail-lengths back towards the entrance while Pineshade muscled a grey-and-white tom forward similarly. The dappled she-cat tried to dart back around Frostmask, seemingly heading back towards the herbs, but Frostmask threw herself in her way, hissing. She was clawed across her shoulders for the effort, and she screamed as the claws raked through some of the raw puncture wounds, but she managed to block the she-cat from getting deeper in the cave.

Frostmask blinked as another cat entered the den, tensing as she braced herself for more enemies, but she felt a surge of relief as she recognized Dewleaf. Dewleaf easily picked up Pineshade’s and Frostmask’s strategy, and began her attack, trying to claw the enemy cats back out of the cave from the other side.

Facing an onslaught from in front and behind in such close quarters, the three enemies seemed to cut their losses.

“Stormfang’s got the leaves,” the grey and white cat hissed. “Let’s get out of here.”

He turned and lead the charge to dodge around Dewleaf and exit the cave, a grey tom with herbs dangling from his jaws following him. The dappled she-cat was last in line, but Pineshade seemed like she wasn’t interested in letting the three get away so easily because as soon as the she-cat was back out in camp, Pineshade tackled her from behind, the two of them rolling away in a screeching tumble.

Frostmask shot out of the cave after them, and she watched as the two toms fled the camp, a few shredded pieces of leaves drifting to the snowy ground behind the tom with the herbs in his jaws.

Frostmask swept her gaze across the camp as she ran. Slowly it was emptying out as enemy warriors were driven away, but battles were still raging in some places, while in others’ ShadowClan cats lay injured. Frostmask saw Larkfoot trying to help Darkpelt to his paws, but the massive black warrior was struggling, blood dripping from one of his forelegs, which he held at an awkward angle as if he couldn’t manage to get it under him for some reason. Grovepelt was holding his own against an enemy, his muscles still wiry and strong despite his age as he wrestled the SkyClan cat to the ground. Dustpelt was crouched by Dawntail’s side; she had not yet risen back from the ground. Autumnleap, Poolcloud, and Cricketpaw were still defending the elder’s den. Elmclaw had managed to break free of his attackers to get back to blocking the entrance of the medicine cat’s den, although another warrior rounded on him to challenge him again. Snakeeyes, Lizardpaw, Fogfur, Dampfang, and Thornheart were still battling as well on the other side of the camp.

Frostmask’s attention snapped back to Autumnleap and Poolcloud, she was charging over to them to help when out of the corner of her eye, she saw Dampfang streaking across camp. Pineshade seemed to be holding her own against the brown dappled she-cat she was fighting just fine, but Dampfang leapt at the she-cat regardless, accidentally knocking Pineshade away and to the ground in the process. Pineshade stumbled back to her paws with an irritable hiss as Dampfang started swatting at the she-cat.

As much as it pained Frostmask to admit it, Dampfang’s battle skills were impeccable, making him possibly the best fighter in ShadowClan now that Swoopstrike was gone. With fluid grace Dampfang pinned the dappled she-cat to the snowy ground in only a few moves, before curling his lips back in an ugly snarl and hovering his jaws over her neck like a snake about to strike.

“Retreat!” a voice yowled. “Retreat!”

Frostmask jolted and watched as all the enemy warriors quickly abandoned their attacks and began to run from the camp, streaming out through the tunnel.

The dappled warrior under Dampfang’s paws buckled and writhed, trying to free herself so she could flee as well, but Dampfang’s claws curled deeper into her sides, refusing to let her budge. Dampfang gave a low rumbling growl before striking, snapping his jaws shut and sinking his fangs into her throat. The dappled she-cat’s eyes went wild and wide. A gurgling sound oozed from her mouth, and she batted her paws against Dampfang’s shoulders, but her blows grew weaker as Dampfang cut off her windpipe.

Frostmask could do nothing but stare at them.

_He’s going to kill her._

“Dampfang. Dampfang!”

Pineshade was at Dampfang’s shoulder, and he jerked, his green eyes flashing up at her as if Pineshade snapped him out of a spell.

“Let her go. They’re retreating,” Pineshade murmured.

Dampfang gave a low growl and didn’t move for a moment. The dappled she-cat stared at Dampfang. Her gaze begged him for her life as her chest twitched, struggling to breathe.

Dampfang opened his jaws.

The she-cat gasped air back into her lungs, scrambling out from under Dampfang and shooting away on shaky legs, leaving a small trail of blood behind her in the snow from the wounds he left in her neck. She ducked through the tunnel as she followed her companions away. No more enemy warriors remained. The camp was suddenly very empty.

Stunned silence fell over ShadowClan when the she-cat’s brown tail disappeared into the tunnel. Frostmask gazed around at her injured clan-mates and the trodden down camp. Her ears flattened, her tail sunk down to the ground, and the full pain of her wounds finally swept over her.

What should they do now? Would the enemies come back?

_And, where is Sedgestar?_

Grovepelt strode forward into center of the camp, limping slightly and still bleeding from slashes across his pelt, but his head was held high with a steady confidence that comforted Frostmask as he took charge.

“Poolcloud, Autumnleap, are you badly injured?” he asked, his eyes settling on the two brothers first.

They both shook their heads.

“Just scratches, Grovepelt,” Autumnleap meowed.

“Good. Go keep watch outside of camp,” the deputy ordered. “Yowl if anything is out of place.”

“Should one of us go fetch Sedgestar?” Poolcloud asked, his eyes wide with anxiety. “What if his patrol is under attack?”

Grovepelt hesitated for a moment.

“No,” Grovepelt meowed. “I’m not going to send warriors away from the camp and risk them getting ambushed. We need to stay here and defend our camp in case more enemies come. And, besides… I suspect Sedgestar is fine.”

Poolcloud and Autumnleap nodded and hurried to the tunnel, Autumnleap giving Frostmask a blink as he passed her, trying to reassure her. Frostmask turned to Pineshade as they left.

“Where _is_ Sedgestar?” Frostmask murmured to her.

Pineshade’s ears flattened.

“Soon after you left with Autumnleap and Lizardpaw, Darkpelt’s sunset border patrol returned to camp,” Pineshade murmured. “They had run into a ThunderClan border patrol who passed information to Darkpelt that a RiverClan patrol led by Perchpelt was waiting at Fourtrees, and Perchpelt had urgent information for Sedgestar. Sedgestar took a patrol and went to Fourtrees to see them.”

Frostmask lashed her tail.

“A diversion to get him and some of our warriors out of camp?” Frostmask growled, the pieces falling together.

Pineshade nodded grimly.

“That’s what it seems now,” she said. “Hopefully Grovepelt’s right and he was just lured away, not ambushed too.”

“Who’s badly injured? Has anyone checked on Clearstream, Elmclaw, and the sick cats?” Grovepelt’s voice rang out, pulling Frostmask from her thoughts.

“Dawntail’s dead!” Dustleap snarled, lifting his head from his mate’s side.

Frostmask jerked in shock, turning to look over at him and Dawntail. The grey and white she-cat still hadn’t moved from the base of Clanrock where Frostmask had seen her last. She had been struck down while protecting the medicine cat’s den, and her two kits who were inside it.

Cricketpaw let out a heartbreaking wail before sprinting over to her parents. She sunk to the ground next to her father as she nudged Dawntail’s face with her muzzle. Dustleap wrapped his tail around his daughter, screwing his eyes shut with grief.

Grovepelt blinked, looking stunned for a moment before he bowed his head.

“I’m so sorry,” he meowed. “Is everyone else accounted for?”

Silence met his words, and Frostmask couldn’t help but letting out a small breath of relief that at least everyone else was alive.

 _“When I get my claws on those snake-hearted cats again I’ll—“_ Darkpelt hissed before letting out a gasp of pain and stumbling as he tried to step forward on his injured leg.

Luckily, Larkfoot was at his side, and she supported her mate as he recovered his balance. Dampfang rushed to his parents.

“Father, are you alright?” Dampfang meowed, circling Darkpelt uneasily.

“I’m fine,” Darkpelt snapped, shooing him away with a wave of his tail. “You’re worrying about me like a mother hen!”

Dampfang glared at Darkpelt and backed away a few tail-lengths, but his tail still twitched with concern.

“You should go see Elmclaw and Clearstream,” Grovepelt’s voice cut in as he frowned at Darkpelt.

Darkpelt let out an irritable growl, twitching his tail.

“I’m sure they have much more pressing issues to deal with than me,” Darkpelt said, lifting his chin.

“You can’t even put any weight on that leg,” Grovepelt pointed out flatly, his patience for the proud warrior clearly fading.

Dewleaf padded over to Darkpelt’s side.

“Come on,” she murmured.

Darkpelt still growled under his breath, but he allowed his mate and his daughter guide him towards the medicine cat’s den. He hopped on three legs, his injured foreleg dragging uselessly against the ground, lagging behind him. However, Clearstream emerged from the den before he could enter. The medicine cat looked largely uninjured, her pelt had only a couple scratches, but her blue eyes were round with fear and concern.

“Our herb storage has been destroyed,” she meowed to the camp.

Frostmask felt icy cold settle in her gut. Grovepelt jerked, the fur down his back bristling. He blinked hard at Clearstream a few times.

“…What?” Grovepelt rasped as if he was desperately wishing he heard her wrong.

“Elmclaw is salvaging what he can now,” Clearstream said, her voice somehow still steady despite the fear and stress that marred her expression. “But, they stole some herbs and tore the rest to shreds. Leaf-bare will make it very difficult for us to replenish our stock as well.”

Gasps of shock reverberate through the camp. Frostmask stomach twisted sickeningly, and she dug her paws into the ground to steady herself.

How would they prevent infection of their wounds or fight off the sickness that plagued the camp without herbs?

_We’re doomed._

Grovepelt sat back on his haunches heavily, suddenly looking vastly older than his true age.

“We will have to triage. Use the herbs for the worst injuries and sickness first,” Grovepelt muttered. “At least, until we can retrieve more herbs.”

Clearstream nodded.

“Elmclaw and I will go ask the other medicine cats if they have any they can spare as soon as we can,” she meowed briskly. “But, herbs are scarce for everyone this time of year, so I don’t think we should get our hopes up. Luckily, I know there are a few herbs that can be found growing even in leaf-bare. We can harvest some bark from the few willows that grow in the marsh, that will help us ease pain if we have no more poppy seeds. Also, I remember that my old mentor told me wintergreen can be used to treat wounds, but I’ve never had to resort to using it myself. I also know Fallowtuft sometimes uses broom to treat wounds and broken bones, although I’ve never seen it growing on our territory… Fallowtuft may be fine with me and Elmclaw traveling onto ThunderClan land to gather some though.”

Grovepelt nodded.

“We will send out patrols for those herbs as soon as possible,” Grovepelt said.

Elmclaw came out of the den behind his mentor. The dark tabby looked much more worse for wear than his mentor did. Several long slashes adorned his pelt, deep enough that it was clear they would scar. He also had swelling around one of his eyes, so much so Frostmask could only make out a narrow slit of his green gaze. However, Elmclaw seemed more concerned with the herbs and his patients than his own wounds.

“I’ve pulled out all of the useable herbs we have left,” Elmclaw said to Clearstream. “We have enough to start treating some wounds, but I don’t think it’ll be enough for everyone.”

Clearstream jerked her chin towards Darkpelt.

“Start with him,” she said. “I’ll assess everyone else and send the worst to you.”

Elmclaw nodded. Then he turned to Darkpelt, his brow furrowing as he noticed his leg.

“How’d this happen?” Elmclaw asked.

“I don’t know why everyone’s making such a fuss—“ Darkpelt protested.

“He got bit in the upper leg, there, and it also got twisted,” Larkfoot cut in, shooting her mate a sharp look as she nodded at his wound. “I saw it happen. After that, it just went out from under him all of a sudden.”

“Thanks Mom,” Elmclaw murmured to Larkfoot as he continued to frown at Darkpelt. “Take him inside.”

Frostmask’s attention turned to Clearstream as the medicine cat padded up to her, her expression concerned.

“What happened here?” Clearstream asked Frostmask in her gentle way as she nodded at her bloodstained chest.

Frostmask glanced down at the red clumping in her fur, and her neck wound suddenly started aching more fiercely as she was reminded of its presence.

“I got bit on my neck and the edge of my shoulder,” Frostmask murmured, angling her head to the side to give Clearstream better access to it.

The medicine cat spent a long few moments looking at the puncture wounds closely.

“Thankfully it missed your jugular and your windpipe,” Clearstream meowed finally. “But, it’s still deep, and judging by the state of your pelt, you’ve lost not an insignificant amount of blood. Do you feel any weakness in your limbs? Darkness around the edges of your vision? A headache?”

“I do have a headache,” Frostmask admitted.

It’d had been mild enough for her to easily ignore during the battle, but now she could feel it throbbing behind her eyes with each beat of her heart. Clearstream nodded, her gaze concerned.

“Go to Elmclaw, he can treat you after Darkpelt. Then you should drink water and get something to eat and rest until Elmclaw or I tell you otherwise. I’d keep you in my den, but with white-cough in the camp, and the current state of our herb stock… it’s best for everyone to minimize contact with any sick cat. Still, I want someone to keep an eye on you in case you pass out or your condition worsens from blood loss. I’ll ask one of your den-mates if they can do it,” Clearstream said.

Frostmask nodded before wincing when the wounds burned in protest.

“Alright, Clearstream,” Frostmask murmured.

As Clearstream moved on to the next warrior, Frostmask slowly padded over to Clanrock, pausing for a moment to glance over at Cricketpaw and Dustleap as they crouched over Dawntail. She wondered for a moment if anyone had told Buzzardpaw and Cedarpaw, who were still in the medicine cat’s den, about their mother before she turned aside and walked into the cave.

The den was still a mess, with moss from the nests and shredded bits of herbs strewn all over the cave floor. Buzzardpaw, Flymask, and Treefur, all sick with white-cough, still crouched in the back of the cave. Cedarpaw, who was in the den recovering from the rat bites he received earlier in the day, sat closer to the front of the cave, near Elmclaw and Darkpelt. Elmclaw seemed to still be assessing Darkpelt’s wounded leg, but Larkfoot and Dewleaf were no longer in the den.

“Can you stretch your paw out to touch mine, Darkpelt?” Elmclaw asked.

Darkpelt was sitting awkwardly, slouched to the side in such a way that it was obvious he wasn’t holding any of his weight on his injured foot. He grunted in response to Elmclaw’s question, slightly rotating his shoulder forward, but his paw only twitched slightly close to Elmclaw, and the lower part of his leg refused to move at all.

“I can’t. It hurts too much,” Darkpelt growled. “And the elbow’s all swollen up. It’s too stiff to move.”

Elmclaw just murmured noncommittally in response to Darkpelt’s self diagnosis, running his paws up and down Darkpelt’s injured leg.

“Are you sure isn’t not broken?” Darkpelt growled.

“As I told you before, I don’t feel any bones out of place,” Elmclaw said, his brow furrowed. “But, I can tell this is a severe injury. It’s not clean either. I think the muscles and ligaments in your elbow got all torn up. That’s why you can’t move your leg. And, injuries of such severity… can have lasting consequences.”

Darkpelt bristled.

“Are you saying I’m going to be like this forever now?” he snapped, baring his teeth. “Unable to use this leg?!”

Elmclaw stopped examining his wound, and he turned towards the small amount of herbs piled at his side.

“We will have to see how well you heal to know for sure,” Elmclaw said, his voice calm. “I’m going to put some herbs on your cuts now, and maybe I can find you something for the swelling.”

Elmclaw began chewing some herbs into a poultice as he shifted through the pile of scavenged herbs.

“How am I supposed to hunt or fight if this leg just drags uselessly around under me?” Darkpelt spat. “Are you sure you know what you’re doing? Maybe I should have Clearstream take a look at me.”

This comment finally seemed to get under Elmclaw’s skin because he stiffened, his brown and black striped fur bristling slightly down his back.

“As you know, Father.” Elmclaw’s tone was calm but underlaid with a layer of ice. “I’ve been a full medicine cat for seasons now. Clearstream and I can both assure you that I know what I’m doing.”

Darkpelt just grunted again in response. Elmclaw smeared the herbs he had been chewing on the cuts on Darkpelt’s leg before pawing a herb out of the pile and in Darkpelt’s direction.

“Eat this,” Elmclaw meowed curtly at him before turning to look at Frostmask.

Frostmask jolted almost guiltily, her ears angling back. She couldn’t help but feeling like she’d been eavesdropping on a private family argument. But, Elmclaw seemed his normal genial self as he walked up to her.

“Hey Frostmask, what have you got for me?” he said.

Frostmask showed him her wounds on her neck. He licked them clean for her since she was unable to reach them herself before smearing a poultice to prevent infection on the wounds like he did with Darkpelt. Frostmask flinched as the herb stung at her wounds.

Elmclaw scanned his gaze over the other scratches that adorned her pelt.

“I would put some herbs on those too, if it was any other time,” Elmclaw said. “But, they are shallow and considering the state of our supply…”

Frostmask nodded.

“I understand,” she meowed.

“Make sure you groom them and keep them clean, or infection is more likely,” Elmclaw warned.

He then echoed Clearstream’s advice to take it easy before telling her she could leave the den. Frostmask hesitated before she rose to her paws.

“Did you tell Cedarpaw and Buzzardpaw about Dawntail?” she murmured in a low voice that only reached his ears.

Elmclaw sighed, his board shoulders sagging.

“I’d forgotten. I’ve just been thinking about everyone’s injuries and the herbs…” he said, looking weary. “I’ll tell them now. The poor little scraps. They’re going through enough right now with their injuries and sickness; it’s tragic that they have to deal with too.”

Frostmask nodded, her whiskers drooping. Elmclaw started to turn, but Frostmask brushed her tail down her side to stop him for a moment.

“I’m no medicine cat,” Frostmask murmured. “But, your cuts look pretty deep to me too. Maybe you should think about using a little of some herbs for yourself instead of giving them all away to our clan-mates… What we do if you fell sick to an infection?”

Elmclaw rumbled a brief purr.

“Alright… Thanks for the concern Frostmask,” he said, his whiskers twitching in dark humor. “I’ll see what Clearstream’s opinion on my wounds are since I can’t seem to be objective about them myself.”

Frostmask just nodded. Elmclaw headed to the back of the den to Buzzardpaw and Cedarpaw, while Frostmask turned around and padded out of the den, unable to stay and hear Elmclaw tell the young apprentices that their mother was dead.

When she emerged from the den, she headed towards the fresh-kill pile to eat something as Clearstream had suggested. The pile was luckily largely untouched, although a few pieces of prey had been thrown about in the chaos of the battle. Frostmask picked up a slightly mangled and completely frozen shrew and settled down with it, holding it in her paws and rasping her tongue across it to thaw it enough that she could take a bite.

Frostmask’s gaze flickered across the camp as she waited for the prey to warm. She saw Cedarpaw emerge from the medicine cat’s den, his eyes welling with grief. He rushed over to his family, who were still crouched at the base of Clanrock. Buzzardpaw staggered out of the cave a few moments later, although he kept his distance from the rest of them, likely not wanting to infect his littermates or his father with his white-cough. Buzzardpaw gazed over at them mournfully, his head bowed.

Lizardpaw made his way over to the group hesitantly, gently touching his tail to Cedarpaw’s flank, prompting the dark tabby to lift his head from Dawntail’s side so Lizardpaw sign something to him. Cedarpaw nodded and Lizardpaw crouched down between Cedarpaw and Cricketpaw, pressing his white pelt to his den-mates’ supportively.

Frostmask watched Lizardpaw for a moment longer. She wanted to check with him to see how he was, but also she didn’t want to interrupt him when he was comforting his den-mates. She glanced away, deciding that she would speak to him later.

Fogfur and Thornheart were tidying up the camp. Some parts of the thorn barrier and branches of dens had broken off during the fight, so the two toms silently cleared the area, sticking brambles back into any new gaps in the thorn barrier, and kicking fresh snow over any red-stained patches they came across.

“Hey.”

Frostmask’s ears pricked as Pineshade appeared at her side.

“Clearstream told me to keep an eye on you,” Pineshade said, taking a seat next to Frostmask. “I think I’m supposed to make sure you don’t die or something.”

Frostmask gave a snort of bitter humor.

“Thanks,” she muttered.

“That bite you got on your neck does look pretty nasty,” Pineshade said, making herself more comfortable as she settled in the snow and curled herself close to Frostmask so they could share the heat of their pelts. “Do you think it’ll scar?”

Frostmask’s ear twitched. She knew Pineshade was talking about meaningless nonsense, but she also knew it was Pineshade’s way of trying to distract Frostmask, or herself, from the overwhelming nature of the attack.

“Maybe,” Frostmask meowed, indulging the desire not to think about grave situation their Clan was in, if only for a few moments. “I hope not though. I don’t want it to mess up the look of my pelt.”

“What are you talking about?” Pineshade said, screwing her face up in an affronted expression. “Scars are cool! They showed you faced something tough and won!”

Frostmask purred lightly.

“What if you get a scar doing something stupid though?” she asked, rolling the shrew between her paws; it was almost an edible temperature now. “Like, I don’t know… jumping out of a tree to prove a point?”

Pineshade shrugged.

“That’s when you make up a cool story for it instead,” she said, her tail-tip flicking. “‘I wrestled a badger to save a kit’ or something.”

Frostmask purred and bent her head to take a bite of the prey. After the first bite, she devoured the rest quickly, suddenly ravenous. Her headache seemed to fade back a bit as her stomach filled. She licked the last bit of blood off her lips and leaned closer to Pineshade to fight off the cold breeze that swirled through the camp.

“Sedgestar!” Poolcloud’s voice rang out from outside of the camp, causing Frostmask’s ears to prick up suddenly.

She sat up straighter and exchanged a quick look with Pineshade.

The thorn barrier rustled and Sedgestar came pushing through, his sizable patrol of cats just behind him. Sedgestar jerked to a stop quickly, just a few fox-lengths into the clearing.

Nothing could’ve prepared Frostmask for the look on Sedgestar’s face when he saw the ravaged camp. The pure shock and fury of it lifted the fur on her shoulders.

 _“What. Happened.”_ Her leader’s voice was halting and raspy, something between a croak and a snarl.

“RiverClan,” Thornheart spat as he swiped his claws across the snow in front of him.

“RiverClan?!” Sedgestar echoed with a growl, his tail whipping.

Frostmask opened her jaws, about to correct him, but Grovepelt limped forward before she could.

“No, not RiverClan,” Grovepelt meowed as he staggered over to Sedgestar. “Those were SkyClan warriors.”

Sedgestar turned to him, his brow furrowing, although he looked no less furious.

“I’m sure of it,” Grovepelt continued. “But, they disguised themselves with RiverClan scent.”

Sedgestar buried his claws into the snowy ground.

“How is that possible?!” Sedgestar hissed through clenched fangs. “My patrol was right at the border this whole time! How did they get past us?”

“That’s not the worst part,” Grovepelt sighed. “They destroyed our herb storage and stole some others. Dawntail is dead, and injuries range from severe to moderate.”

Sedgestar was silent for a moment as this information sunk in, and his patrol dispersed behind him to their loved ones. Rowanheart and Yewpaw rushed to Snakeeyes and Lizardpaw. Hollowpaw sprinted over to where her family huddled around Dawntail. Hootflight and Beeclaw went over to check on Thornheart, then Beeclaw hurried to the medicine cat’s den to see if Elmclaw was okay. Dappledpelt and Leafbreeze stayed in place, but pressed their pelts closer together in silent gratitude that both of them had avoided injury in this battle. Marshnose padded slowly over to Dawntail, his head bowed and his tail dragging in the slush, and Frostmask was reminded that the two were littermates.

Emberflower pressed herself against Sedgestar’s side, clearly trying to calm or comfort her mate. Every hair on Sedgestar’s pelt bristled, vibrating with wrath, his amber eyes ice-cold.

“What happened at Fourtrees?” Grovepelt prompted gently, trying to pull Sedgestar out of his furious haze.

“Nothing,” Sedgestar spat. “There were no cats there when we arrived. We waited for a while then turned back. I would bet my pelt that the _‘RiverClan’_ patrol we were supposed to meet there, were the cats attacking this camp. I can’t believe Willowstar sunk to making this pact with Fennelstar. Both RiverClan and SkyClan will pay for this.”

Sedgestar began to pace, his tail lashing as he raked unsheathed claws through the churned up snow.

“We actually don’t know if RiverClan was involved,” Grovepelt meowed in a steady voice. “The SkyClan warriors could’ve rolled in their scent-markers just to throw us off.”

“I wonder if there was ever a patrol at Fourtrees at all,” Sedgestar barreled on as if his deputy had not spoken. “Maybe ThunderClan has turned on us too. How can we trust their word when none of our cats saw anyone there?”

“I don’t think that sounds like Morningstar,” Grovepelt murmured, but Frostmask saw a flash of doubt in his eyes.

Sedgestar turned towards Emberflower suddenly.

“Emberflower, I want you to lead a patrol. Follow their scent trail and make sure that the SkyClan cats are gone from our territory. If you find them still here, you are not to engage. Instead come back immediately.”

“Of course,” she said with a nod.

“Take Rowanheart, Dappledpelt and Leafbreeze with you.” Sedgestar’s eyes flashed towards Thornheart. “Thornheart, are you fit enough to join them?”

Thornheart took a step forward raising his chin.

“Yes, Sedgestar,” he meowed.

“Good, then you go too,” Sedgestar said.

Sedgestar turned to nod at Hootflight.

“Hootflight, go relieve Autumnleap and Poolcloud from their watch. We will not be leaving the camp unguarded for even a moment.”

Hootflight dipped his head.

“Yes, Sedgestar,” he meowed.

“Where’s Redclaw and Weaseltail?” Frostmask murmured to Pineshade as her clan-mates scrambled to obey Sedgestar’s orders.

“They had gone out earlier on a hunting patrol with Featherpaw, Mosspounce, Murmurstep, Amberberry and Kestrelmoon,” Pineshade muttered back. “Probably totally oblivious to everything.”

“Hunting. Snake-dung,” Frostmask whispered, suddenly remembering the four mice she, Autumnleap, and Lizardpaw had left in the woods before their mad dash to the camp. “I left some mice out in the forest by that big pine. It would be such a waste if they became crow-food.”

Pineshade nodded.

“Hold on, I’ll tell the patrol so they can grab them,” she said.

Pineshade hurried over to stop Rowanheart before he left camp, murmuring something to him. Rowanheart nodded before turning and padding out the thorn tunnel. Pineshade came trotting back over to Frostmask.

“They’ll take care of it,” she said with a nod.

“Thanks,” Frostmask murmured, slowly getting to her paws. “I should go talk to Lizardpaw and see how he’s doing.”

Pineshade waved her tail dismissively.

“Okay, let me know if you need anything,” she said. “Try not to keel over without me around, alright?”

“I’ll do my best,” Frostmask said drily, slowly padding over to Lizardpaw.

As she walked across the camp, she overheard Grovepelt still deep in conversation with Sedgestar. He murmured something about the herbs Clearstream talked about, and Sedgestar nodded his head.

“… send a patrol to search for them as soon as we’re able,” Sedgestar rumbled.

Dawntail’s body had been moved into the center of the clearing to prepare for her vigil. Her family still crouched beside her, grooming her fur to smooth it down. Lizardpaw had moved away from Cedarpaw and Cricketpaw, and now he sat with his mother and brother in front of the apprentices’ den. Snakeeyes was grooming Lizardpaw’s ears while Yewpaw curled up on the other side of his mother. Frostmask was relieved to see that the bite on Lizardpaw’s leg had received some care from Elmclaw.

_It won’t get infected then, hopefully._

Lizardpaw jumped to his feet when he saw Frostmask, although he kept his injured leg off the ground. Lizardpaw ran and hopped over to her, rubbing his cheek against hers and purring with obvious relief that Frostmask was doing okay. Frostmask purred in response before pulling her head back. Behind him, Snakeeyes gazed at Frostmask with her mismatched eyes. Frostmask saw she had some deep slashes on her shoulders, but she hadn’t received treatment for them yet.

_I wonder if Elmclaw and Clearstream have already run out of herbs._

“Thank you for watching out for Lizardpaw during the battle,” Snakeeyes said, before a slight growl entered her voice. “I saw you tackle that horrible cat off of him.”

“Of course!” Frostmask said. “I’m the one that should be thanking you for keeping an eye on him when we got separated.”

“You know I’d never let anything happen to them,” Snakeeyes murmured, turning her head to rasp her tongue across Yewpaw’s silver and black striped forehead for emphasis.

 _'How are you?'_ Lizardpaw asked, nodding towards the bite on her neck.

 _'I need to rest, but I’m fine,'_ Frostmask responded.

Lizardpaw sat down heavily, looking exhausted himself. Frostmask felt a twinge of sympathy for him. It had been a very long day, and he was still such a young cat. It felt like seasons ago that they had gone on the patrol down the WindClan border, and winded up in the Carrionplace, but in reality, it had only been in the morning.

 _'I’m sorry I couldn’t help you,'_ Lizardpaw signed. ' _It looked bad, and I tried to get to you. But then someone was in my way…'_

Frostmask bumped her forehead against his gently, trying to push away the wide-eyed guilty expression on his face.

 _'It’s alright,'_ she signed. ' _Really.'_

Lizardpaw nodded before curling back up on the ground next to Snakeeyes. Frostmask turned as she heard paw-steps approaching her. It was Autumnleap padding over. Frostmask nodded goodbye to Lizardpaw, Snakeeyes and Yewpaw before turning and meeting him a few fox-lengths away. He greeted her with a soft purr.

“How are you feeling?” he asked, glancing at her cut. “I’m glad you got some herbs.”

“Okay, I guess,” Frostmask said, sighing softly. “How about you?”

She scanned her gaze across his pelt, but couldn’t see any bad wounds.

“I’m fine,” he meowed, brushing away her concern with a wave of his tail.

“You better clean your cuts well though,” Frostmask said. “Because I doubt they’ll have any herbs left to treat them.”

Autumnleap’s expression darkened.

“The state of it’s that bad then?” he meowed.

Frostmask sighed again.

“You should see the inside of the medicine cats’ den,” she said. “It looks like a monster ran through there. The leaves are shredded into useless bits.”

Frostmask sat down, running a paw across her face. Her headache was back. Autumnleap blinked sympathetically at her and leaned over to nudge her cheek with his muzzle.

“You look exhausted. Do you want to get some rest?” he asked. “You won’t be missing anything. I don’t think Sedgestar wants anyone moving a whisker until Emberflower returns with news, or Redclaw’s and Weaseltail’s patrol comes back so the camp has more reinforcements.”

Frostmask yawned at the thought of her nest.

“That’s not a bad idea,” she murmured. “Although I feel a bit bad going to sleep when Dawntail’s vigil is just starting.”

Autumnleap followed her gaze towards the grey-and-white furred body in the center of the camp.

“I think she’d understand,” he murmured.

“Also Clearstream put Pineshade in charge of watching me in case my condition worsens,” Frostmask said. “Or, ‘making sure I don’t die’ as Pineshade put it.”

Autumnleap’s whiskers twitched in a faint hint of amusement.

“I don’t think she’d mind me relieving her,” Autumnleap said, before inclining his head in the direction of the warriors’ den. “Come on.”

Having no energy left in her to argue, Frostmask followed him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: Thank you everyone for reading and for your kudos and comments!
> 
> Elmclaw is best boi. Too bad he has to put up with Darkpelt as a father lol. A bit of fun backstory on Elmclaw that no one asked for, but I’m gonna share anyway because I want to haha: Elmclaw is Larkfoot and Darkpelt’s kit from their first litter. He’s similar in age with Rowanheart, and the two were very close because they were the only kits in the nursery for most of their kithood. They were both the only survivors of their litters— their littermates died during a time of sickness that hit ShadowClan when they were very young.
> 
> Darkpelt always wanted to be a father, and he was devastated at their loss, but he always had very high expectations for his future kits, which only heightened when Elmkit was the only one of the litter to survive. Darkpelt expected Elmkit to grow up to be just like himself— he wanted a strong, fearless warrior and a clever tactician to carry on his legacy. However, ever since the sickness that claimed the lives of Elmkit’s littermates, Elmkit was fascinated with healing, not fighting or battle strategies. Darkpelt would try to play-fight with him and Rowankit, but Elmkit preferred to sneak off into Clearstream’s den instead, much to Darkpelt’s dismay and frustration. Clearstream however, didn’t mind Elmkit’s intrusion, and she helped foster his passion, teaching him simple lessons about herbs when he was as young as a few moons old.
> 
> However, once Elmpaw had reached the age to be apprenticed, he had grown into a large cat that already rivaled his massive father in size and strength by the age of only six moons old. Darkpelt was insistent that Elmpaw train as a warrior. He told him his talents would only go to waste as a medicine cat, and he could better serve his Clan by putting his size and strength to use fighting instead of healing. Not wanting to disappoint his father or his Clan, Elmpaw reluctantly bent to Darkpelt’s pressure, and he began warrior training.
> 
> Clearstream was saddened that Elmpaw did not choose to become her apprentice, but she soon picked up on the fact that Elmpaw’s heart wasn’t in his warrior training. She became a supportive figure and a confidant for Elmpaw during his warrior’s apprenticeship. But, she did not pressure him to become a medicine cat, because she knew that with time, Elmpaw would be able to figure out by himself on what path he belonged. Elmpaw spent his apprenticeship hunting, half-heartedly battle training, and his favorite part, picking herbs as “favors” for Clearstream.
> 
> At the end of his apprenticeship, Elmpaw was involved in a his first battle— a skirmish with WindClan, in which he fought valiantly and loyally for ShadowClan. This earned him his warrior name Elmclaw for his strength, and Darkpelt had never been prouder of his son. However, Darkpelt’s pride quickly soured when Elmclaw approached him the next day to tell him that he finally realized that he wasn’t going to be a warrior. He was going to train with Clearstream as a medicine cat instead, and he already spoke with her and Sedgestar to get their permission. Elmclaw tried to explain to Darkpelt how this battle truly showed him that he didn’t want to fight, but to heal, but the proud warrior was too angry with his son to listen.
> 
> Darkpelt barely interacted with his son for a moon, despite Larkfoot’s best efforts to make him talk to Elmclaw. Not long afterwards however, Larkfoot gave birth to their second litter of kits, Dewkit and Dampkit. Darkpelt was excited to have more kits and more chances for them to become the warriors he dreamed them of being, and he was delighted when they took to it naturally in a way Elmclaw never had. Although Dewpaw had more of a cunning mind suited to tactics, Darkpelt was especially proud of Damppaw for his prowess at fighting. Darkpelt was relieved to finally have the son he always wanted in Damppaw, and he poured all his energy into shaping him into a formidable warrior, although Darkpelt was much more lax with Dewpaw. Dampfang even as a warrior, still feels pressure to live up to the cat Darkpelt wants him to be.
> 
> Elmclaw chose to keep his name the same when he became a full medicine cat as a final small honor for his father, despite the fact that he knew Darkpelt would always see him as a disappointment. Elmclaw, however is at peace with himself and happy in his role in the Clan, knowing that he is living his life as he was meant to. Darkpelt eventually came to accept Elmclaw’s position as a medicine cat, although their relationship is still strained. As for Elmclaw’s younger siblings, Dampfang shares a dislike for Elmclaw he picked up from Darkpelt, but Elmclaw and Dewleaf are rather close now.
> 
> So, that’s Elmclaw’s story, and now you all also have a bit more context on why Dampfang is the way he is lol. Anyway, I wouldn’t classify Darkpelt as a bad guy, but he’s definitely not a great father.


	32. Secrets and Lies

It was still dark out when Frostmask awoke slowly. She groaned as she lifted her head. Her bruises and joints ached, while the bite on her neck twinged in pain. But, her headache was gone, and she did feel a bit stronger after the snippet of sleep, even if she wasn't able to recover for a full night.

Autumnleap had woken her up by murmuring her name, and he blinked over at her now, his reflective eyes glinting slightly in the low light of the den.

"What's going on?" Frostmask muttered blearily, pawing at her eyes as she tried to chase sleep away.

"Sedgestar called a clan meeting," Autumnleap said. "Emberflower just got back. And Redclaw's patrol came back while you were sleeping."

Frostmask nodded, stumbling to her paws.

"Dawntail's death ceremony also happened while you were asleep," Autumnleap said, his tail twitching with a hint of guilt. "I didn't know if you wanted me to wake up for it. But, I'm sorry I didn't if you did."

"It's alright," Frostmask murmured as they padded out of the den.

The normally composed Sedgestar was fidgeting on Clanrock. His fur stuck up in unruly clumps, and his tail lashed while his ears twitched at every small sound. It was obvious that he had not gotten any rest yet.

_He's probably working on our plan for revenge._

Frostmask let out a quiet, appreciative growl, feeling a flash of pride and gratitude that ShadowClan had such a dedicated leader. The ShadowClan cats all quickly took a seat in the camp's clearing, and all eyes turned to Sedgestar to await the news.

"Emberflower, tell them what happened," Sedgestar said, his voice grim.

Emberflower rose to her paws and stood at the base of Clanrock next to Grovepelt, her ginger pelt still bright, even in the low light.

"It appears that the SkyClan patrol has left our territory," she said. "The RiverClan stench they used left a clear trail for us."

"Well that's good, right?" Hootflight's voice called out, but Emberflower just shook her head.

"They left our territory through _our tunnel_ ," Emberflower said with a low growl. "Their trail led there clearly. We continued into the tunnel and followed their scent until we reached ThunderClan land. There's no mistaking it."

"I'm sure that's how they managed to get past my patrol and into our territory," Sedgestar snarled.

Yowls of fury and outrage echoed through the ShadowClan camp. Frostmask felt her fur bristle, and she sunk her claws into the snowy ground.

_How did SkyClan know about our tunnel?!_

"How is this possible?!" Greytail snarled from outside the elders' den, her pelt prickling with fury. "The tunnel has been closely guarded information by ShadowClan since the thunderpath's creation! Not even ThunderClan or WindClan seem to know about it, and it's on their own territory! And, yet SkyClan found out?!"

"No way SkyClan's smart enough to figure it out on their own!" Marshnose spat.

Other yowls of agreement met Greytail's words. Even Sedgestar nodded at her, his eyes narrowed to furious slits. Grovepelt rose to his paws, gesturing with his tail for his clan-mates to settle down.

"We have been hunting on SkyClan land intermittently for the past two moons," Grovepelt said, having to raise his voice to be heard over all the growling and snarling. "It is possible that one of our hunting parties was tracked by SkyClan, unknowingly."

Several overlapping voices spoke at once.

 _"Snake-dung!"_ Someone spat.

"But, we've been so careful! No one's been caught!" Someone else yowled.

Dampfang leapt to his paws, his green eyes bright with anger.

"I know what it is!" Dampfang yowled his voice over the rest. "StarClan warned us about this, don't you remember? The rotten pine omen!"

Dampfang narrowed his eyes, and for a brief moment, his gaze met Frostmask's.

"There's a traitor in our midst," Dampfang snarled.

Frostmask felt her stomach flip, and she dug her claws into the ground. She snarled in anger at the accusation, but she wasn't sure if anyone else noticed Dampfang's look at her. The clan was in chaos now— many cats were on their feet, pelts bristling, and hisses of shock and fury echoed all around Frostmask.

"Enough. Enough!" Sedgestar yowled, but even he looked unsettled by the mention of the omen— his fur stood on end and his tail twitched. "We can't let this attack divide us like this!"

"Well what _do_ we do Sedgestar?" Darkpelt said, as he limped forward, still not using his injured leg.

Sedgestar scraped his unsheathed claws against the stone beneath him.

"Rest assured, SkyClan will pay for what they've done," Sedgestar snarled. "But, we are in no state to launch a counter-attack at this moment. Several cats are ill or injured, and we don't have the herbs necessary to treat them. It's true that SkyClan landed a hard blow against us today. But, we will overcome this and strike back harder. We will make every cat in SkyClan regret being kitted because we are _ShadowClan_ and when we work together, nothing can stop us!"

Sedgestar paused for a moment to lash his tail and let his Clan growl in agreement.

"For now, I'm suspending the hunting trips to SkyClan territory," Sedgestar said. "We will need all our cats on our land. We will increase patrols down the ThunderClan border and check the tunnel regularly for any activity. And, as soon as sunrise, I want cats helping Elmclaw and Clearstream with finding herbs. If one of them asks you to escort them to speak to another Clan's medicine cat about borrowing herbs or to aid them with gathering herbs, I want you to drop everything and do that. Understood?"

Murmurs of agreement rippled through the Clan.

"Once we're back to our full strength, SkyClan _will_ pay," Sedgestar snarled before bounding down Clanrock, indicating that the meeting was over.

Cats began to disperse. Dustleap, Marshnose, and some others went back to holding vigil over Dawntail's body, but many cats headed to their dens to get some more sleep before morning. Frostmask turned, about to do the same.

"Frostmask."

She jerked at the sound of Sedgestar's voice.

She turned her head to see him regarding her with a sharp amber gaze while their clan-mates filed around them.

"Come with me. I wish to speak with you in my den for a moment," Sedgestar said curtly before turning and striding over to the base of the Oak Tree, vanishing into the tunnel between the roots.

Frostmask stared after him, mystified.

"What's that about?" Autumnleap murmured from her side.

"I have no clue," Frostmask responded, rising to her paws.

She followed Sedgestar into his den, her breaths echoing loudly in the narrow tunnel for a moment before it opened up into a larger earthen cave. As her eyes adjusted to the low light, Frostmask blinked in surprise to see that Sedgestar was pacing the length of the cave instead of sitting in his nest with his tail neatly wrapped around her paws, like she expected him to be.

Frostmask stood near the tunnel, feeling more awkward by the moment as the heartbeats stretched on. Sedgestar just continued to pace silently, his jaw clenched in frustration, barely acknowledging Frostmask besides occasionally shooting her sharp side-glances.

Frostmask self-consciously cleared her throat, her tail-tip twitching with unease. She'd never seen her leader in such a state of agitation before.

"Is— is something wrong, Sedgestar?" Frostmask managed to ask.

Sedgestar seemed to tense at the sound of her voice, but he forced himself to stop pacing. Now he stood as stiff as a log, staring at Frostmask. His tail twitching behind him was the only part of him still in motion.

"Was it you?" he said suddenly.

Frostmask blinked, taken aback. Her confusion and worry deepen in her chest. Sedgestar kept staring at her. He looked furious. Was he furious at _her?_

"I- I don't understand," Frostmask stammered, her ears flattening.

"Did you tell them?" Sedgestar said, a low, dangerous growl rumbling beneath his words. "Did you tell SkyClan about the tunnel?"

Frostmask blinked, her heart suddenly plummeting to her stomach as the ground seemed to shift under her.

_It's not just Dampfang… Sedgestar… he doubts me too. My own leader!_

Frostmask's tail curled under her belly and her chin fell down to her chest as if her whole body caved in on itself.

"How can you say that?" Frostmask rasped, her voice quavering.

Frostmask quickly swiped a paw across her face, hating how much her voice shook. Her wavering voice didn't last long though. The shock and sadness inside her was quickly being replaced by pain and anger. She lifted her gaze to shoot Sedgestar a burning look.

"ShadowClan is my home!" she spat. "I would never do anything to harm the cats here! Why would you say that?! I've always been loyal!

Sedgestar studied her in silence, but his twitching tail behind him began to still. Frostmask could see hidden thoughts flickering in his gaze as he looked at her, trying to read her. To see if she was telling the truth.

Frostmask clenched her jaw in anger, digging her paws into the floor of the den.

_"Why."_

She surprised herself with the intensity in her voice. She had never spoken to Sedgestar with such incivility before.

"Why do you think I betrayed ShadowClan?" Frostmask repeated, her mew coarse.

Sedgestar sighed, and the tension drained out of his body. His face was suddenly lined with weariness and regret. He sat down in his nest, slowly shaking his head to himself.

"I should've never said that. I'm sorry," Sedgestar murmured, closing his eyes for a moment. "This situation has me on edge. At no other point during my leadership has ShadowClan been so soundly defeated on our own territory. I'm not thinking straight. Please. Forgive me, Frostmask."

Frostmask felt a low growl in the back of her throat, her anger not stifled.

That wasn't good enough. She had been loyal to ShadowClan, _to Sedgestar,_ every heartbeat of her whole life! And, yet Sedgestar would question her so blatantly? How could she blindly forgive a leader that didn't trust her?!

"Tell me," Frostmask demanded, her tail lashing.

Sedgestar hesitated, studying Frostmask with his amber gaze. The silence stretched on between them, but then he finally dipped his head in concession.

"I'm sorry you are finding out about this," Sedgestar meowed, his voice low but steady. "And, especially finding out in this manner… I never intended you to know… But, when your mother brought you to ShadowClan, she told me that your father was a SkyClan warrior."

Frostmask took a step back from him, her eyes widening. Her heart began to hammer, but curiously, she didn't feel surprise at the revelation, only icy dread trickling down her spine. Frostmask tried to swallow, but her mouth was bone-dry. She pressed her paws hard against the earth beneath her, trying to steady herself.

The sound of her pulse pounded in her ears, so loud that it almost blocked out the sound of Sedgestar's low voice as he continued.

"The rotten pine omen made me suspicious. I thought you found out the truth. Or your father contacted you, somehow," Sedgestar muttered. "Maybe you told him about the tunnel on accident, not understanding what he'd do with such information…"

"Who else knows?" Frostmask cut in, her voice a rough whisper.

Sedgestar's gaze was troubled as he looked at her, but he answered her question.

"The patrol that found you: Emberflower, Beeclaw, Swoopstrike… as well as Grovepelt and Redclaw," Sedgestar said.

Frostmask inhaled sharply, taking another step back from him as if he slashed her across her chest.

"This whole time…" Her voice was a whisper, but it vibrated with pain and betrayal. "You all knew… Swoopstrike, Grovepelt, Redclaw… and none of you ever told me?"

Sedgestar gave his head a small shake.

"Don't blame them," he meowed. "I was the one that asked them to tell no other cats. Not even you."

Frostmask dug her claws into the ground, her ears flat against her head.

 _"It was not your secret to hide!"_ The words burst from her mouth. "You kept half of _my_ identity from me. You _lied_ to me! All of you! And, then you have the audacity to accuse me of betraying ShadowClan, when you're the liars?! What happened to 'ShadowClan keeps no secrets among clan-mates!?'"

Sedgestar looked at her steadily, and she saw a change ripple across his features. He straightened his posture, his face becoming smooth and expressionless, while his eyes became blank amber gems, revealing none of his thoughts. Frostmask was no longer speaking to Sedgestar, but instead to 'The Leader of ShadowClan.'

"I did what I thought was right," he said, his eyes boring into Frostmask's. "I did not want your loyalties divided. I wanted you to be totally devoted to ShadowClan, the home that raised you. Not some stranger. A _useless_ SkyClan tom."

Frostmask stared at him, her heart pounding like thunder through her.

This must be what it felt like when cats from the other Clans looked at Sedgestar. This was not the cat that spent sunhigh lounging around, purring with Grovepelt and Emberflower. He did not dote on Lizardpaw, Featherpaw, and Yewpaw. He didn't watch Rowanheart walk past with eyes that shown with pride.

This cat was ice cold and practical. His gaze was sharp, shrewd, and calculating, and it never rested, always working to figure out his next move.

"If I had a chance to do it over, I wouldn't change a thing about my decision. Didn't Redclaw and the other queens raise you well?" Sedgestar continued, his tone insisting. "Wasn't Swoopstrike a good mentor? Aren't you happy to be in ShadowClan?"

Frostmask pressed her ears harder against her head, trying to block out the sound of his voice. She glanced away from him, down to the ground, unable to look at the cold, unfeeling face of a cat that she didn't know.

"What was his name?" Frostmask rasped.

She curled her claws deeper into the earth, feeling like she already knew the answer, but she refused to let the word into her thoughts.

_Don't say it. Don't say it._

She saw white fur in her mind and a flash of cold green eyes. Frostmask screwed her eyes shut for a moment and wiped the image away, clenching her fangs until her jaw ached against it.

_Don't say it. Don't say it._

Sedgestar blinked.

"I don't know," he said. "Your mother didn't tell me. All she told me was that he wouldn't have you."

Frostmask tensed, her chest heaving as she began to breathe louder. More rapid. More panicked.

"SkyClan did not want two more starving mouths to feed," Sedgestar continued, his voice cold. "But, I could not just leave a dying queen and her sole surviving kit to freeze to death in the snow."

Frostmask jerked back from him, her muscles taunt as her mind slipped away from her body, gone to shelter someplace else. Her thoughts were in chaos, in absolutely no state to do anything but to hide in some dark place where nothing could reach them. However, her body understood innately how to survive, and it was ready to fight or run from the threat.

Sedgestar blinked, and it was like he was suddenly himself again, his face deeply tired but his amber eyes understanding.

"Frostmask…"

Frostmask turned tail and fled from the den.

She burst back into camp, her pelt standing on end as her breaths echoed in her ears. The clearing had mostly emptied after the meeting. Good. She had no desire for anyone to see her like this. All she wanted right now was to get far away from Sedgestar, far away from everyone, from these cats that _lied_ to her. That upended her life. That, even after she gave _everything_ to them, still thought so lowly of her, they believed she'd betray them at a twitch of a whisker for some cat that she didn't even know.

Frostmask locked her gaze on the thorn tunnel and raced towards it. She saw a flash of fur in the corner of her eye, and she was barely able to pick out the dark red color in the shadows. Autumnleap had waited for her. Of course he had.

"Frostmask!" he said, his voice deep with concern as he rushed to her side. "What's wrong?"

Frostmask whirled towards him, curling her lips up to flash her fangs.

 _"For once in your life, leave me alone!"_ she snarled.

Autumnleap stopped dead in his tracks, his eyes widening in confusion and hurt.

"Let her go, Autumnleap," Sedgestar's voice rumbled.

He had emerged from his den and now stood at the base of the Oak Tree, watching her. Frostmask let out a hiss. Sedgestar had no right to say whether or not she could leave the camp. Frostmask ducked into the tunnel, flying into the black forest.

* * *

At first, she had no thought about where she was going. She was just fleeing, running as hard as she could until she could escape the stormy clouds of hurt that raged inside her. But, as her body shifted, tensing and adjusting to carry this new weight of betrayal, another pain filled her, setting her blood on fire. She finally let his name into her mind.

_Paledusk._

She snarled her rage at the empty night air as she ran. He was the SkyClan cat. _Her father._ The thought made her want to retch.

And, the worst part of it was that he knew. That way he looked at her that first night— he knew this whole time. He was a liar like the others, but worse. Despite knowing who she was, he tried to drive her away. Tried to hurt her. _On purpose._

Well… maybe he hadn't known Swoopstrike was her mentor, but he had still killed him.

_Swoopstrike._

Frostmask blinked hard before throwing her eyes upwards, scouring the stars that peeked down through the pine boughs with a furious, accusative gaze.

_How could you do this to me? How could you lie like the rest? How could Redclaw too?!_

Frostmask imagined what Swoopstrike would do if he was here with her. In her mind, she pictured his paw flashing out to cuff her around her ears but not hitting hard enough to sting.

_"You daft frog-brain!" he'd hiss. "Why are you so upset? Nothing's really changed. ShadowClan is still your home, and we were just following Sedgestar's orders. Would you have done any differently if you were in our paw-steps?"_

Frostmask shook her head, sending the image away. Of course Swoopstrike wouldn't understand. None of her friends or anyone else in ShadowClan could— they were all clan-born. Their loyalty and competence was taken as a given, while Frostmask spent her life proving and fighting and clawing for every scrap of hers. And, that still wasn't enough for them.

The acidic tang of thunderpath scent hung in the air, and Frostmask jerked her head forward, her thoughts yanked back to her body. During her blind, furious haze, she'd nearly run straight through ShadowClan's territory. Her wounded neck throbbed, she had a headache pounding behind her eyes again, and her paws slowed as her body reminded her mind of her weaken state. Frostmask came to an ungraceful stop, panting hard from the excursion and stress.

Her heavy breathing was the only sound in the forest. It was that time of late night where nocturnal animals had gone back to their nests, but the morning creatures had yet to wake up. The snow around her dampened any noise that might escape the rare creature who was up late or early, while also keeping away incests, so she didn't even have the songs of crickets for company.

Frostmask hunched her shoulders, wrapping her tail around herself for comfort. Her isolation was profound.

She was close to just collapsing there, giving no regard to the snowy ground or the cold and just letting herself herself wallow in her misery, but then her nose twitched as an unusual scent wafted to her on the breeze, snapping her back to attention. It was the trail left by the SkyClan warriors, already starting to go stale. Frostmask realized she must be close to the tunnel's entrance.

A low growl began to build in her throat, slowly but steadily increasing in volume. Her breathing began to pick up, and her heart began to pound again.

All of this was Paledusk's fault. If her father was just some random rogue or soft kittypet who did not care about the Clans, none of this would've happened. But, instead Paledusk was SkyClan's deputy. He had taken away her clan-mates' trust in her. He'd attacked her Clan, and he'd killed her mentor.

Frostmask sunk unsheathed claws into the snow, hardly feeling its icy bite against her pads because of the hot anger that rolled in her belly. Her legs tensed until they trembled, her fur bristling out around her and her tail lashing.

She blinked, and then she was in motion again.

The next part of her journey passed in flashes. She could hardly focus on anything besides the tightness in her muscles and the pain and fury burning in her chest.

One moment she was still on ShadowClan land, rolling in a pile of leaf-litter and toadstools to disguise her scent. The next she was streaking through the pitch-black tunnel. A moment later, she was slipping through ThunderClan territory, passing through the stream border onto SkyClan land.

It wasn't until she was under a grove of bare, towering oaks in the heart of SkyClan's territory with her mouth open to drink in the scents on the breeze that her mind cleared enough to realize how completely foolish and dangerous this plan of hers was. Then that didn't even matter either when she picked up Paledusk's scent.

Frostmask instinctively slipped down into a hunter's crouch and began to track her prey.

The fire that had been burning in her chest now cooled and froze into fury as cold and sharp as ice. She was a cat turned to stone. She knew what she had to do, and she would not bend or waver. If Paledusk wanted to stop her, he'd have to shatter her.

Her training took over. Her breathing steadied and her senses heightened as she settled into the reassuring, well worn patterns she'd practiced for moons while she shadowed his trail. His scent was fresh. She followed it without issue as it cut cleanly through SkyClan territory.

Her ears pricked as she picked up the sound of the river. Soon, she was able to spot it between the gaps in the trees. It was half-frozen; only a small strip in the middle remained free-flowing, but even that moved lazily as if it was hindered by the ice. She continued down the river, all the while, Paledusk's scent growing stronger. She moved around the thick trunk of a maple, and then she saw him.

Frostmask tensed and froze at the base of the tree, her form hidden in the knobby shapes of the roots. Paledusk was alone. He was sitting and looking out over RiverClan territory with his back to her, as if he was expecting someone soon.

_Must be meeting with Perchpelt again._

Frostmask noticed fresh scratches across his back and her brow furrowed. She hadn't seen him at the attack on their camp, so how had he gotten wounded?

Frostmask gave her head a tiny shake to push those thoughts away. It didn't matter. What mattered was her getting to him before whatever RiverClan cats he was waiting for arrived. Frostmask began to creep closer, placing her paws down as carefully and softly as if she was hunting a mouse.

At the edge of the tree-line, still several fox-lengths away from him, she hesitated. Now would be the perfect time to leap at him. She could tackle him easily, and with surprise on her side, she could maybe even kick him into the river. The thin ice would break under him, and he would go under. The next day, his Clan would find his body washed up on shore, dead from drowning and hypothermia. They would mourn his death as a tragic accident with not a trace of Frostmask or ShadowClan on him.

Frostmask curled her lips back.

_Justice. For myself and for Swoopstrike._

Frostmask pressed her ears flat against her head, clenching her jaw… But, her paws didn't move forward.

She looked away from Paledusk's back, and with a hard blink, she felt herself snap out of her dark fantasy.

She couldn't do it. She couldn't kill this cat in cold-blood, without even giving him the dignity of seeing the face of his murderer. She didn't have it in her.

Her gaze flickered back to Paledusk, and a growl began building at the back of her throat, threatening to slip out.

Maybe she couldn't kill him, _but_ she wasn't going to let him go so easily. She would still make him give her some answers about her mother. And, maybe she'd also claw him up a bit. Just to make herself feel better.

Frostmask straightened and brushed her tail against a patch of undergrowth beside her.

Paledusk jolted and whirled around at the sound of rustling.

"Who's there?" he demanded, the fur down his back prickling slightly.

The cold fury magnified until it felt like there was a blizzard howling in her. She stepped out of the shadows of the trees, but she made no move to draw closer to him. Paledusk's eyes widened as he spotted her, but then his gaze flickered away from her to the area around her, searching for more enemy warriors waiting. As the moments stretched on, and he saw no ambush, his harsh green gaze finally settled back on Frostmask. He bared his fangs.

 _"Trespasser,"_ he growled, his tail lashing. "Why are you here? What do you want?"

A low warning growl rumbled deep in Frostmask's throat.

"You mean you don't recognize me, _Father?"_ Frostmask spat the word like it was poison in her mouth.

Paledusk froze then, his lashing tail suddenly completely still behind him.

The growl grew in volume in Frostmask's chest as she started to pace in front of him, her long claws unsheathed and gleaming pearly in the low light. The only mobile part of Paledusk were his eyes. They were round with fear, which sent a jolt of intoxicating vindication down Frostmask's spine, and they never left her form, tracking her as he would a dangerous dog, liable to strike at any moment.

"...Impossible," Paledusk croaked finally, still staring at her.

 _"Shut up!_ Don't you dare lie to me again!" Frostmask spat. "You knew who I was from the moment you first saw me. I look just like _her_. You knew her name!"

Frostmask stopped her pacing abruptly, and Paledusk stiffened, readying himself for an attack, but Frostmask still made no move towards him.

"Why didn't you tell me before?" Frostmask snarled in a low voice that vibrated with rage. "I asked you. Why did you lie to me?"

Paledusk was still regarding her like she was rabid.

"Frostpaw..." he meowed slowly.

 _"Frostmask,"_ Frostmask hissed.

"Frostmask." He corrected himself quickly. "You must understand... I had no idea. Of course, I immediately recognized your resemblance to May. But, I... I didn't know. May never told me that I had any kits."

Now it was Frostmask's turn to freeze. Her brow furrowed as she gazed at Paledusk. He was still staring at her with wide eyes, but his posture was no longer aggressive— he just looked stunned. Frostmask shook her head, clenching her jaw against his words.

"No," she growled. "You're lying. Sedgestar told me that you wouldn't have me. That that's what _May_ told him."

Paledusk's eyes went even wider.

"And, you believe him?" he meowed incredulously.

Frostmask swept her tail back and forth behind her, suddenly off balance, but she tried not to let the confusion swirling inside her show on her face.

"I can see you're upset," Paledusk continued before she could say anything, his voice turning soothing. "It seems like you just found this all out from him, Sedgestar. I'm guessing? It must be a lot to take in."

Frostmask didn't respond besides curling her lip up in a snarl. She gave a loud, rumbling growl. She would not allow him to patronize her.

Paledusk seemed to pick up on her sentiment.

"Sedgestar's been keeping this all from you for so long," he said in a neutral voice, dropping the soothing tone. "Why are you trusting that he's telling the full truth about it now?"

"What reason would he have to lie to me about that?" Frostmask growled.

Paledusk inclined his head to the side, arching a brow.

"Isn't it obvious?" he said. "This narrative makes him look better. I rejected you and May, and Sedgestar's the hero that saved you. That would make the idea that he's kept this secret from you your whole life much easier to stomach than the truth— which is that I had no idea about your birth, or that you and May ended up in ShadowClan."

Frostmask's tail twitched, and she growled again. She didn't want to believe him, but doubts about Sedgestar began to pop up and swirl in her head. She knew how cunning her leader was. He could've easily followed the same trail of thought Paledusk laid out.

"But you were May's mate, how could you not know?" Frostmask growled stubbornly.

"Yes, I was," Paledusk admitted. "But, the last time I saw May was in leaf-fall. When you showed up at that first Gathering nearly ten moons later, it had been so long… Of course, I saw May in you, but I thought... I thought you were someone else's. I thought May had taken some other cat as a mate."

"Well, why didn't she go to you in the leaf-bare?" Frostmask snarled at him. "Instead of taking me to ShadowClan?"

Paledusk's tail began to twitch.

"I can't say for sure what reasons May had," he murmured. "But, the last time we parted in leaf-fall wasn't on the best terms…"

Paledusk broke eye contact for the first time to duck his head, rasping his tongue down his chest a few times as if he was ashamed.

"You see… May and I broke up," he admitted. "I told her that I couldn't keep seeing her. I loved her, but it broke the Warrior Code, and I wanted to be totally devoted to my Clan. It was the most difficult thing that I've ever done, and she was upset, understandably so. But, she didn't want to give up her freedom to join SkyClan to be with me."

Frostmask's ears twitched as her uncertainty rose higher.

Again, what Paledusk was saying made sense. In the few memories Frostmask had about May talking about her father, May's tone had always been wistful and fond. And, yet, Frostmask had been born out in the wildness, not in SkyClan's nursery. But, May didn't seem like she'd been bitter with Paledusk about that… It seemed clear that May had indeed _chosen_ to have her out in the forest.

Paledusk inclined his head to the side as if a thought suddenly stuck him.

"Maybe that's what May met by 'I wouldn't have you,'" he murmured. "Because we broke up…"

Frostmask's tail began to swish behind her. She stared at him, at a loss. Earlier, she thought she'd be clawing his pelt off by now, but now she didn't know what she wanted to do.

"...What happened to her?" Paledusk whispered suddenly, making Frostmask blink in surprise. "May."

"She's dead," Frostmask growled.

"I remember you telling me that at that other Gathering," Paledusk said softly. "But, why did she die?"

Frostmask looked away from him for the first time, staring out over the icy river instead.

"Starvation," she meowed flatly. "She was too weak to live, even once we made it to ShadowClan."

Silence hung between the two of them for a few long moments.

"I'm sorry Frostmask," Paledusk said finally, shattering the quiet. "I still loved her, you know. Even when we couldn't be together. If I had known..."

Frostmask shook her head violently, cutting him off.

"Save it," Frostmask growled, locking her gaze back on him. "Whatever you knew or didn't know then, or how things could be different, you're still my enemy now. Your cats just attacked my camp."

Paledusk stared at her in silence for several heartbeats like he was a snowy, green-eyed owl.

"Is that why you came here then?" he asked. "To attack me? To get revenge for the ambush? Or, for me not being there for you?"

Frostmask didn't respond, only lashed her tail.

"I don't want to fight my own kit," Paledusk meowed.

Frostmask bared her teeth.

_Why does that matter? It's not like it would've stopped you before. And besides, whether or not we share blood, that doesn't change the fact that you still killed Swoopstrike._

The thought echoed, bouncing around in her skull until it was the only thing in her mind. The image of Paledusk staggering away from Swoopstrike's limp form.

Frostmask sunk her claws deeply into the snowy ground, raking a razor sharp gaze over Paledusk, and for the first time, she noticed at small bundle at his feet. Frostmask's brow furrowed as she looked at it more closely. It was a bundle of mangled herbs. The fur on her shoulders bristled, her stomach clenching as her rage heightened.

_Herbs stolen from ShadowClan._

Paledusk followed her gaze down to the leaves.

"These were taken from the ShadowClan camp weren't they?" Paledusk asked, echoing her thoughts.

Frostmask just growled in answer, her muscles tensing as she prepared to spring at him. She imagined raking her claws down his sides, ripping into his ear, shoving him away, grabbing the leaves—

"I'm supposed to pass them off to RiverClan at dawn. But..." Paledusk cast a few quick glances over his shoulder to make sure there were no other cats around, and no RiverClanners on the opposite bank.

Then he reached his paw down and quickly pushed them a tail-length towards Frostmask.

"Here. You take them," Paledusk said. "I'll just tell RiverClan we were unable to retrieve any herbs."

Frostmask froze. Her muscles stiffened in shock and confusion, her gaze flickering from Paledusk to the herbs, and back again. It felt like a trap.

Paledusk rumbled a brief purr, seemingly amused by her bewilderment.

"Think of it as proof of my intentions," he said, slightly tilting his head to the side. "I would like things to be cordial between us, Frostmask."

Frostmask didn't respond to him. Worry nipped at her pelt; it still seemed too good to be true. But, ShadowClan _needed_ those herbs, desperately…

Ever so slowly, she crept forward, all of her muscles tense and ready to leap out of the way if Paledusk sprung at her. She didn't take her eyes off of him for a moment as she snatched the herbs up in her mouth before rapidly backing up a safe distance away.

But, Paledusk made no move towards her the whole time. Her just continued watching her with a curious green gaze, as if she was some sort of rare, interesting bug he had found.

"I'm glad we finally got to properly meet, Frostmask," Paledusk said.

Frostmask narrowed her eyes at him in furious slits in response, so he would know that she still hated him. But, her tail betrayed her by twitching with indecision.

The sky was lightening slightly behind Paledusk, heralding the approaching dawn and making Paledusk's white figure glow softly in the low light. She could see his resemblance to her now— the tufted ears, the large, slanted eyes, although his were a vibrant, almost aggressively bright, green, while she had her mother's gentle blue. Frostmask's gaze settled on the scars on his face for a moment, tracing the one left by Swoopstrike that swiped past one of those bright eyes. Giving a soft growl around the herbs in her mouth, Frostmask whirled around and vanished into the forest, pointing her paws back in the direction of ShadowClan's camp.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ya'll, I'm so excited! The secret's out! Paledusk confrontation! Yes! I've been waiting to get to this chapter for so long haha. And, with the conclusion of this chapter, the longest day in the world that started at Chapter 27 is over! This is a pretty important chapter, so I really hope you guys like it! Thank you all for reading and an extra thank you for the kudos and comments!


	33. A Bleak Wind

Morning sun-light fought its way through the branches of the warriors’ den as Frostmask blinked awake in her nest. Then she immediately screwed her eyes shut again and hoped that sleep would wash back over her and give her another respite from her miserable existence.

It had been about a quarter moon since the SkyClan attack and since Frostmask learned the truth about Paledusk. When Frostmask had come stumbling back into camp that morning after her confrontation with him, lightheaded and her wounds burning, she had been immediately cornered at the edge of the thorn barrier by Sedgestar and Clearstream. Clearstream had been furious at her for leaving camp, but the medicine cat quieted quickly when Frostmask showed her little pile of herbs she brought back with her.

“I found them scattered in the woods,” she’d lied. “SkyClan must have dropped some in their rush to get out of here.”

“Marigold and watermint,” Clearstream had murmured with a breath of relief. “Thank StarClan, we’ll be able to treat some more wounds and coughs.”

Then she had locked Frostmask in a fierce stare again.

“I’m glad you found these,” she’d said. “But, you better stay in your nest for the next couple of days, because if I’ve found out you’ve left it again, by StarClan, I’ll pin you to it myself!”

Clearstream had then snatched up the herbs and padded away, leaving just Frostmask and Sedgestar standing together in awkward silence.

“You did well bringing those herbs back,” Sedgestar had rumbled in a quiet voice. “And, I want to apologize again for what happened last night…”

Frostmask had already decided not to say a thing about her unsanctioned trip to SkyClan territory, so she just gave a noncommittal murmur, not meeting his gaze. Sedgestar had paused a moment before continuing.

“Now that you know the truth, you may do what you wish with that information,” he’d said. “Although, if I may offer a piece of advice: I think it is within your best interest to keep it quiet. Morale is already low enough as is. Cats are angry and looking for something or someone to blame. And, since the meaning of the rotten pine omen still isn’t clear… You may make more trouble for yourself if the rest of the Clan finds out.”

Frostmask had clenched her jaw in response.

_He’s probably right about that, but he might also be trying to save his own pelt from the scrutiny of the clan too. I doubt our clan-mates will be pleased to know that he secretly kept half-breed spawn here, right under their muzzles. It’s worse than me just being a rogue. I’m also now kin of the enemy._

“…I better get to my nest,” had been all Frostmask finally said to him.

Sedgestar had just nodded at that and flicked his tail at her to go.

And, Frostmask had barely left the warriors’ den since.

It was true at first that she was recovering from her wounds, but now she felt like despondence kept her in her nest more than anything else. She hadn’t even made herself apologize for yelling at Autumnleap yet— she was either asleep or pretending to be asleep anytime he was in the den. She didn’t want to deal with anything. Not even him.

Frostmask fell back into an uneasy sleep. She spent the rest of the morning slipping in and out of a shallow rest when suddenly a voice spoke, pulling her back to consciousness.

“Alright, what’s with you.”

Frostmask cracked an eye open to see the dark figure of Pineshade standing over her, shadows cast across her face by the light streaming in from the den’s entrance behind her.

“I’m recovering from my wounds,” Frostmask muttered, closing her eyes again.

“You’ve barely left your nest in days,” Pineshade huffed, her voice annoyed. “And, I know Autumnleap’s been bringing you fresh-kill, but you haven’t been eating much. Why? You got bit on your neck. Your legs aren’t broken and your stomach isn’t clawed out. You should be able to get your own prey and eat it at least. So, what’s going on? Are you sick? You don’t seem sick.”

Frostmask ignored her. She just flattened her ears against her head, trying to block out the sound of Pineshade’s voice so she could drift back off. Pineshade was silent for several moments, waiting for a response that never came.

“…That does it,” Pineshade muttered.

Frostmask gasped, her eyes flying open as she felt Pineshade’s teeth grab her scruff. Pineshade hauled Frostmask to the side, forcing her to stumble forward, out of her nest.

“What in StarClan’s name is wrong with you?!” Frostmask spat, wrenching herself out of Pineshade’s grip and letting out a furious hiss. “You’re going to tear my cuts back open!”

Pineshade narrowed her eyes at Frostmask.

“What’s wrong with me?” Pineshade echoed with a growl. “What’s wrong with you?! Just because my brothers are gonna let you waste away in your nest because they’re too soft-hearted to do anything about it, doesn’t mean that I am.”

“I’m fine,” Frostmask growled, trying to step back into her nest, but Pineshade was suddenly in her way, blocking her.

“Oh are you?” Pineshade asked, widening her eyes mockingly. “Well that’s great because ShadowClan could really use all of our warriors right now. You know, like with the increased patrolling we’ve been doing after the invasion? And, because more cats are getting sick and the sick cats are getting sicker because SkyClan destroyed all our herbs?”

Frostmask felt a rush of guilt prickle her spine. She hadn’t known that.

“More cats are sick?” she whispered.

“Yeah, Hootflight and Fogfur have come down now with white-cough too. And, Thornheart’s fighting an infection from his wounds. You’d know that if you hadn’t been spending the days sleeping all the time,” Pineshade said with a scornful growl.

Frostmask flattened her ears, making Pineshade pause before she continued in a slightly gentler voice.

“And, Treefur has recovered, although Buzzardpaw has worsened. Clearstream says he has green-cough now and without cat-mint, there’s nothing they can do for him… He doesn’t have much time left.”

Frostmask’s stomach flipped. The battle may be over, but Death was still circling their camp like a vulture. She let out a low growl, shutting her eyes for a moment.

“This is SkyClan’s fault,” Frostmask muttered. “They’re going to kill him just as much as they killed Dawntail.”

Pineshade was unusually quiet in response. Frostmask opened her eyes to see Pineshade just watching her with a furrowed brow. Her expression had softened and her amber eyes were now concerned instead of angry or mocking.

“Seriously, Frostmask, what’s going on?” Pineshade meowed. “Autumnleap told me that after the battle, Sedgestar talked to you, but when you came out of his den, you were really upset. Then you vanished into the forest until the morning…”

Frostmask looked away from her, her tail twitching. For a brief moment, she wanted to tell Pineshade everything that happened. Sedgestar accusing her. Her learning about Paledusk. Going to SkyClan territory to confront him.

But, the urge was fleeting. The image of Pineshade looking at Frostmask just the way Sedgestar had stopped her. Pineshade might be her friend now, but Frostmask couldn’t shake a shadow of doubt from back when Pineshade saw her as nothing but a useless rogue. What if telling her the truth brought all those feelings back? Or, _worse,_ what if Pineshade told Dampfang and then the whole Clan knew? She couldn’t stand the idea of the whole Clan, or even just Pineshade, thinking she was a traitor or untrustworthy too.

“I’ve just been really upset about SkyClan, and I wanted some time alone after the battle,” Frostmask muttered, semi-truthfully. “The meeting with Sedgestar was nothing important.”

“…Really?” Pineshade asked, arching a brow skeptically. “Sedgestar just called you alone into his den to talk about… nothing?”

Frostmask shuffled her paws in the moss, not meeting her eye. Pineshade sighed sharply.

“Okay, whatever,” she meowed with an eye-roll.

Frostmask’s tail-twitched slightly, but she wasn’t sure if she was annoyed at Pineshade’s curt attitude or at herself for being secretive, when she was upset at cats that did the exact thing to her…

“But, now that you’re up,” Pineshade continued briskly. “You should come eat something. It’s almost sun-high, and a nice mild day out. I think heading out into camp will do you good.”

Frostmask angled her ears back. She didn’t want to go into camp. She just wanted to go back to sleep… But from the way Pineshade was looking at her, there was no way she was letting Frostmask back into her nest without a fight.

“Fine,” Frostmask grumbled. “But, if I’m not feeling better after eating, I’m going back to my nest. And, you can take it up with Elmclaw or Clearstream if you have a problem with that.”

Pineshade shrugged, flicking her tail dismissively.

“Deal,” she meowed.

With a twitching tail, Frostmask turned and padded out of the den, squinting as she emerged into the light.

Pineshade was right, and it was a bright, warm day for leaf-bare. The snow had all melted off during the past week, and many ShadowClan cats were out in camp now, eating, sharing tongues and gossiping. If Frostmask didn’t look too hard at the still-sealing wounds or the missing pelts of cats who were sick in the medicine cats’ den, she could almost imagine it was a normal day in ShadowClan.

As Frostmask padded over to the fresh-kill pile, her legs trembled, suddenly feeling very weak now that they had to hold her up and walk her across camp.

_Maybe Pineshade has a point about eating more…_

Frostmask narrowed her eyes. When _was_ the last time she’d eaten a full meal? The days had all blurred together for the past quarter moon.

Pineshade shadowed Frostmask silently to the fresh-kill pile. She kept hovering around as Frostmask picked up a small mouse and carried it back over to near the warriors’ den to eat it. Frostmask took a bite of the prey before shooting Pineshade a pointed look.

“Look, I’m eating,” Frostmask mumbled around the food in her mouth. “You can stop watching me like a hawk now.”

Pineshade twitched her tail.

“Fine,” she sniffed like she didn’t actually care.

But as she padded off to settle down with Poolcloud and Dewleaf on the other side of the camp, Frostmask still felt her eyes on her.

Frostmask bent her head and began to eat in fast, mechanical bites. She didn’t enjoy the taste of the prey like she normally did, but the quicker she finished her food, the quicker she could get back to her nest without Pineshade or Poolcloud or anyone else bothering her.

Frostmask had just finished her last bite of prey when she heard footfalls approaching her. She glanced up, expecting Pineshade, but she was greeted by an auburn pelt instead.

“Hey, you’re up,” Autumnleap said, although he watched her from a few tail-lengths away.

It was as if he was afraid to get too close and have her figuratively claw his whiskers off again, as she’d done that other night. Frostmask dipped her head, rasping her tongue down her chest ashamedly.

She knew she had to talk to him about it, and there was no more avoiding it by pretending to be asleep…

“Yeah, I’m feeling a bit better today,” she mumbled before glancing back up at Autumnleap. “Can we talk?”

She shot a glance around at all the cats in camp, sunning themselves in the weak leaf-bare light. She didn’t want any gossip about her yelling at Autumnleap getting around anymore than it likely already had.

“Privately,” she added in a quiet voice. “Outside camp?”

Autumnleap tilted his head to the side, his brow furrowing.

“Alright,” Autumnleap said.

Frostmask hastily scraped dirt over the bones of her meal before rising to her paws and leading the way to the thorn tunnel. She ducked under the brambles, wincing as she felt the thorns scrape her sides and back. It looked like after the attack, the tunnel had been reenforced to be even narrower than usual. Once she made it to the other side, she padded off, relieved that the weakness in her legs had faded after eating. She walked a little ways into the forest, until she could be reassured they were out of the earshot of even their clan-mates with the sharpest hearing.

Frostmask sighed quietly.

_Might as well just get it over with and apologize._

Frostmask glanced back over at Autumnleap, ducking her head again in embarrassment.

“I’m sorry I yelled at you—” she murmured.

“What happened? Are you okay?” Autumnleap said, cutting her off before she could continue, causing her ears to prick with surprise.

He was gazing at her with a furrowed brow. He didn’t really seem upset, mostly just worried.

“You haven’t been acting right at all since you talked with Sedgestar,” he explained, seeing her expression. “Withdrawn, lethargic, and it’s not like you to yell like that… but I didn’t want to press you earlier about it in case you were still… processing whatever it was.”

Frostmask blinked hard a few times, her mouth suddenly dry. She flattened her ears against her head as her heartbeat began to pick up.

_No. I’m not okay._

As if Autumnleap asking about it broke a dam in her mind, the same terrible feelings from that night surged up inside her, and they threatened to drown her all over again. Frostmask closed her eyes for a moment, her chest heaving as she fought against the tide. She _needed_ to keep it together.

Autumnleap studied her with concern. He lifted a paw as if to take a step over to her, but he didn’t move, seeming to think better of it. He then took a seat instead and wrapped his tail tightly around his paws as if to keep himself in place.

“You don’t have to tell me,” he said, his mew gentle. “But, I just want to help.”

“I- I- I-“ Frostmask attempted, but her voice was shaking too much to form any real words.

Frostmask screwed her eyes shut again.

_Snake-dung!_

That had betrayed her. Now there was no chance she could fib or brush over it. Autumnleap would still know there was something wrong.

Frostmask opened her eyes to stare down at her feet. She dug her claws into the ground. The feeling of mud beneath her pads helped ground her, and after she forced several deep breathes, she found her thoughts clearing a bit, like sunlight fighting its way through a storm.

_Now what do I do? I can’t tell him everything, right?_

“Can I come over to you?” Autumnleap asked gently.

Frostmask’s head jerked up in surprise. She had been so focused on the out-of-control emotions inside her, she’d hardly noticed that Autumnleap had still been keeping some tail-lengths of distance between the two of them.

She blinked. Weirdly enough, she thought maybe that had actually helped her. It had made the feelings seem a little less pressing and overwhelming.

Frostmask’s brow furrowed as she considered Autumnleap’s request. _Could_ she handle it if he came over to her? Or, would it make the feelings intensify and choke her?

_…I think it’ll be okay._

Her emotions still rolled like storm clouds, but they weren’t threatening to tear her to bits.

_At least at the moment._

Still, it might be nice to have Autumnleap’s supportive presence a little closer. After all, he wasn’t pressuring her or trying to claw the information from her. It was like he said. He wanted to help her.

_But, would he still think that if he knew the truth? That I’m Paledusk’s kit._

Frostmask’s stomach flipped, but she clenched her jaw and did her best to push the thought away.

She gave Autumnleap a tiny nod. He quickly sprung to his paws as if he had been a coiled snake sitting there, and he was at her side in an instant, pressing his pelt against hers.

His solid form was reassuring and steady, but paradoxically that just made Frostmask’s trembling intensify, a whimper threatening at the back of her throat. It was as if him being there made the situation feel very real and not just some terrible nightmare. But, at the same time, she didn’t want him to pull away, leaving her alone again. Frostmask turned her head to press her face into the thick ruff of fur around Autumnleap’s neck.

“Sedgestar thought I betrayed ShadowClan.” The words slipped out of her in a rough whisper before she could even think about them. “That I told SkyClan about the tunnels.”

She wasn’t sure if her voice had even been loud enough for Autumnleap to hear her, but she felt him stiffen suddenly. She pulled her face away, her heart clenching at the thought of finding suspicion or disgust towards her in his expression, but Autumnleap’s amber eyes eyes were flaring with outrage.

 _“What!”_ Autumnleap snarled. “How dare he!? I can’t believe this. Just because you were born outside of ShadowClan?! You’ve been here practically your whole life! You’re a loyal warrior! How can Sedgestar blame you for that?!”

Frostmask blinked and nodded along mutely. Thoughts of Paledusk and SkyClan whirled in her head, and for a moment, she almost told Autumnleap about that too. But, then she felt the cold doubts that she had pushed away earlier return in greater numbers. Frostmask bit the inside of her cheek.

_If Autumnleap knew that Sedgestar did that, not because I was born a rogue, but because I am half-SkyClan… would that change things? Would he start to doubt me too?_

Frostmask closed her eyes for a brief moment.

 _And, me going onto SkyClan territory… that looks bad doesn’t it? I’d tell him that it was because I wanted answers, of course. That I wanted to_ **_hurt_ ** _Paledusk… but would he believe me? The results don’t support my reasoning. I did nothing to Paledusk and came back with herbs that he gave me. Maybe Autumnleap would even think I was colluding with him._ **_Snake-dung,_ ** _why did I do that? That was so stupid of me…_

_I can’t tell Autumnleap anything, can I?_

“I’m going to talk to Sedgestar,” Autumnleap growled, getting to his paws and pulling Frostmask from her thoughts.

“No!” she meowed quickly, her eyes widening in a hint of panic. “He’s already apologized. You can’t make a scene about it because that’ll just make things worse. Or, tell _any_ of our clan-mates! The rotten pine remember? If they find out Sedgestar was suspicious of me…”

Frostmask’s chin bobbed down.

“Well you know what they’ll think,” she muttered. “Especially with cats like Dampfang in the clan. Even if Sedgestar defends me, I know Dampfang will have them all turned against me before you can say ‘mouse.’”

Autumnleap’s amber eyes were wide as he gazed at her.

“But, that’s not fair!” he protested. “You haven’t done anything wrong!”

“Yeah, it’s not fair. But, that’s just how life is for me,” Frostmask said bitterly.

Autumnleap lashed his tail with frustration, scowling. She closed her eyes, a feeling of pain and loss tugging at her paws like a powerful tide.

_Nothing about this or the secret is fair. And, it’s not fair that I can’t even make myself tell Autumnleap the truth, out of fear of what might happen. Is that a weakness in my character or in his? Autumnleap’s never done anything that makes me think that he doesn’t trust me… But neither did Sedgestar, and look what happened._

_Would I be able to go on if Autumnleap, Pineshade, Poolcloud… if they turned against me too? What’s left for me then? I can’t risk it._

“I’m glad you know at least.And, you don’t think I’d want to betray ShadowClan.” Frostmask’s voice was small as she said the words she wished were completely true.

Autumnleap stilled and softened, sitting back down next to her.

“Of course I don’t,” he meowed, his amber eyes round and serious.

Frostmask blinked hard, a lump forming at the back of her throat. Pain washed over her as she gazed at him.

_I hope you mean that with every hair on my pelt. But, I still can’t tell you._

“…How could he do that to me?” she rasped.

Frostmask wasn’t exactly sure who she was talking about there: Sedgestar. Paledusk. Redclaw. Swoopstrike… Maybe even Autumnleap or Pineshade or Poolcloud, in the event they betrayed her too. But, the raw wound inside her remained the same regardless.

Autumnleap scooted closer to her to wrap his tail around her supportively, and after a moment of hesitation, she leaned back against his shoulder, taking comfort in his touch. The very real warmth of his pelt helped chase away some of the cold, dark figments of doubt about him in her mind.

“Sedgestar’s an idiot frog-brain, that’s why,” Autumnleap growled in answer, and Frostmask couldn’t help but giving a tiny purr.

She didn’t think she’d ever heard anyone dare call Sedgestar an idiot before.

“It’s true,” Autumnleap said, a hint of amusement appearing in his voice at the sound of her purr. “And, I’d say that to his face, if you wanted me to.”

“And, it’d get your tongue clawed out,” Frostmask muttered, but there was an edge of dry humor to her words.

“It’d be worth it,” Autumnleap asserted, turning his head to rest his chin on the top of Frostmask’s head.

They were quiet for a few moments.

“Do you mind if you keep this conversation just between us? I haven’t told Pineshade or Poolcloud or anyone else about it…” Frostmask murmured, breaking the silence.

“Poolcloud and Pineshade would understand if you wanted to talk to them,” Autumnleap said.

Frostmask’s tail twitched uncertainly for a heartbeat.

“Maybe,” she said. “But, I’m worried. What if Pineshade tells Dampfang? Or, what if it changes the way they think about me…”

Autumnleap was quiet for a moment.

“I won’t talk about it with anyone if you don’t want me to,” he said finally.

“Thanks,” Frostmask murmured into his fur. “Also, I don’t think I got a chance to thank you yet for saving me during the battle… I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she felt her ears warm, partly in guilt about keeping the secret from him and partly because she was suddenly very self-conscious about how closely the two of them were pressed together.

“Of course,” Autumnleap meowed simply.

Faint yowls drifted over to them, causing Frostmask’s ears to prick. She straightened as Autumnleap lifted his chin off her head. Both of their pairs of ears swiveled towards the direction of the camp, but Frostmask had deliberately led them far enough from camp that they couldn’t hear what was going on.

“Maybe Sedgestar called a clan meeting,” Autumnleap murmured.

“Or something’s wrong,” Frostmask said, her stomach clenching. “Let’s go back.”

They hurried to the thorn barrier, ducking into the tunnel. When Frostmask emerged into the camp from behind Autumnleap, she let out a soft sigh of relief that everything mostly appeared normal. No cat seemed particularly distressed, however, oddly all her clan-mates’ attention was focused on Darkpelt. Darkpelt stood in the center of the camp clearing, leaning his weight on his good legs. Clearstream and Elmclaw had braced his injured leg with sticks like they would a broken one; they’d said that if the elbow joint was reenforced, it might allow it to heal better. It jutted out awkwardly to the side, not quite under him like his other legs were.

“I have an announcement to make,” the large warrior rumbled, shifting his weight under the pressure of all the eyes on him.

Darkpelt paused for a moment before continuing.

“My leg injury is severe,” he rumbled. “I’ve been told by Clearstream and Elmclaw that it will take moons, maybe seasons to regain any motion from the joint, and even then, it will likely never fully recover.”

Darkpelt hesitated again as if the words were challenging for him to admit out loud.

“And, so I’ve made the difficult decision to step down from my position as a warrior,” Darkpelt said, his tail drooping slightly. “If it were up to me, I’d have loved to serve our clan for many more moons. But, in this current state, I’d just be a liability in a battle, and I can’t hunt or patrol right now either.”

Frostmask heard a soft gasp of shock and she turned her head to see Dampfang staring at Darkpelt with wide eyes.

“But, Father—“ Dampfang began, but Darkpelt didn’t give him the chance to say anymore.

“I’ve made my decision,” he said, shooting his son a sharp glance. “And, it was not one I made lightly. Who knows, maybe in six moons, I’ll be able to return to full warriors duties if my leg makes a miraculous recovery… But, if not, well… then that’s that.”

Sedgestar rose to his paws to give the older cat a nod of respect.

“ShadowClan will always be grateful for your many seasons of service,” he meowed. “And, even if your leg doesn’t improve, and you end up remaining an elder, I know I will still be coming to you for advice before battles for countless moons in the future.”

Darkpelt dipped his head to Sedgestar gratefully. Larkfoot rose to her paws as well to stride to Darkpelt’s side.

“I’ve also decided to step down from my position as a warrior,” she announced, her chin held high.

Now Sedgestar blinked in shock as he stared at Larkfoot, his littermate.

“But… we’re not old!” he said, his voice aghast.

Larkfoot let out a brief purr of amusement.

“Sure, but we aren’t young either,” she said, her voice lightly teasing. “And, unlike you, I don’t have any extra lives keeping me youthful.”

She glanced over at Darkpelt.

“Besides, ever since Dampfang and Dewleaf left the nursery, I’ve had trouble adjusting back to being warrior again. And, now that Darkpelt’s stepping down…” She brushed her cheek against her mate’s affectionately, and Darkpelt rumbled a low purr. “I don’t think my place is in the warriors’ den anymore.”

She turned her gaze back to Sedgestar.

“The most fulfilling part of my life has been when I’ve been raising my kits,” she said. “So, that’s what I’d like to do. I’d be a permanent queen and help raise all of ShadowClan’s kits.”

Frostmask gave a small nod of understanding. Frostmask had only overlapped with Larkfoot for about one moon in the nursery, but even in that amount of time she had seen that the queen was a deeply maternal cat. Larkfoot had treated Frostmask, and all the other kittens who were in the den at that time, like her own— grooming them, playing with them, feeding them, and even paying Dampfang no mind when he had whined to her, confused that she was caring for a rogue like Frostmask.

“And, don’t think I’ll just be sitting around like a lump either,” Darkpelt meowed quickly, pulling Frostmask from her memories. “Even if my leg’s never good enough to hunt or fight well, I reckon I’ll still learn to get around just fine on three legs once it stops hurting so much. I’ll still be able to do things. Like patrol and help guard the camp.”

Sedgestar nodded, his surprise at Larkfoot’s announcement fading.

“Of course, if that’s what you both want,” he said, shooting a glance at Larkfoot again.

She nodded without hesitation.

“It is,” she meowed.

“I’ll hold the ceremonies later today then,” he said. “And, have the apprentices set up new nests for you.”

Darkpelt and Larkfoot dipped their heads to Sedgestar and headed back off to the edges of the camp. Cats began to turn their attention away from the pair as the pseudo clan meeting came to an end, however, Dampfang strode into the center of the clearing before everyone was able to return to their own activities.

“This is outrageous,” Dampfang snarled, lashing his tail.

He turned his gaze onto Sedgestar as if to challenge him directly.

“SkyClan needs to be punished for all the damage they’ve done to us,” he growled. “We’ve just lost two more warriors because of them, and even more are sick because of the damage they did to our herbs!”

“SkyClan’s not forcing your parents to retire,” Govepelt’s voice cut in softly. “True, Darkpelt was injured in the fight, but it’s completely within his and Larkfoot’s right to decide if they longer wish to be full warriors. Especially after they’ve served our Clan faithfully for so long.”

Dampfang whipped his head around to stare at the deputy.

“They would not be retiring though, if it wasn’t for Darkpelt’s leg!” Dampfang snarled, before glaring back at Sedgestar. “It’s been a quarter moon. We’ve waited long enough! It’s time for us to strike back!”

A few quiet growls of agreement met Dampfang’s words, but Sedgestar silenced them with a swift shake of his head.

“We can’t put more lives at risk right now,” Sedgestar said with a brief growl. “As you said, we are down cats. Too many of our clan-mates have fallen sick or still too injured to fight.”

Dampfang curled his lip up at Sedgestar.

“Are we warriors, or are we mice?” he sneered.

A loud growl rumbled from Darkpelt, snapping Frostmask’s attention away from Dampfang.

“Do _not_ speak to your leader that way!” Darkpelt snarled, glaring at his son as his pelt prickled in anger.

“It’s alright, Darkpelt,” Sedgestar said, although he gave him an appreciative nod before glancing back over at Dampfang.

Sedgestar studied Dampfang in silence for a moment with sharp eyes that dared him to challenge him again. Dampfang lifted his chin, refusing to be cowed by the intense heat of his leader’s gaze.

“I understand your frustrations, and your desire to get revenge for our clan,” Sedgestar meowed. “Believe me, I feel the same way. And, if I was your age, I’d probably be where you are, saying the same thing to my leader right now.”

Sedgestar’s whiskers twitched in a brief flash of bitter humor, before his gaze darkened again, and he continued.

“However, we need to be strategic about this. The weather is mild today, yes, but don’t forget, we are in the heart of leaf-bare. It will still be moons before leaves begin to bud on the sycamores and prey starts to run well again. Say we do strike back now. We take the half of our Clan who’s not injured or sick and land a heavy blow back against SkyClan. There will absolutely be injuries, and maybe even more deaths. Now instead of half of our Clan being weakened by injury, everyone is. As leaf-bare stretches on, prey is even harder to find and starvations sets in. White-cough and green-cough take advantage of our weakness and spread. We do not have enough herbs, and our bodies aren’t strong enough to fight it off alone. And, that’s not even considering if we have any more trouble with the other Clans or outside threats like the rats… I trust you get the picture?”

Dampfang just nodded silently, his ears twisted back. Meanwhile, Frostmask felt her stomach clench and flip at the grim future Sedgestar had just laid out for their Clan.

_At this rate, will we even survive leaf-bare?_

There was a long moment of silence where Dampfang seemed to gather his thoughts, his twitching tail revealing the fact that his frustrations had not yet totally abated.

“The next gathering is only a quarter moon from now,” Dampfang rumbled. “What do you plan to say to SkyClan and RiverClan? Even if we can’t attack them yet, surely you can’t let this go unchallenged.”

“Of course not,” Sedgestar said, a hint of a snarl drifting into his voice. “At the full moon, we will gather as much intel as we can on the state of affairs between SkyClan and RiverClan, and we will show them that we are still strong, despite their fox-hearted attack. But, we won’t declare war on them. When we strike back, it will be when they are looking the other way.”

Dampfang gave another nod, as if he finally accepted Sedgestar’s plan, albeit reluctantly. However, despite this concession, Dampfang didn’t immediately pad off. Instead, he remained standing in the center of the camp for a few moments longer, prompting Sedgestar to twitch an ear derisively towards him.

“Have I answered your questions to your satisfaction, Dampfang?” Sedgestar growled. “Or would you also like to tell me how I should organize patrols? Or how to hunt mice?”

Dampfang bowed his head to Sedgestar stiffly.

“My apologies, Sedgestar,” Dampfang muttered, although to Frostmask it seemed like there was a soft growl underlaying his words. “It won’t happen again.”

He turned on his heel then to pad back to the edge of the clearing, heading for the thorn tunnel, and Pineshade intercepted him before he reached it. She whispered something to him that Frostmask couldn’t make out, but Dampfang just shrugged her off and ducked under the thorns, leaving Pineshade staring after him with a twitching tail.

A few moments later, the thorn tunnel rustled again, and Frostmask turned to see Redclaw emerge with Lizardpaw and Featherpaw, returning from training for a sun-high rest. The bite wound on Lizardpaw’s leg had healed enough for him to preform light duties, so Redclaw and Emberflower had been taking turns training him with their apprentices while Frostmask had still been recovering. At the sight of Redclaw’s red and black pelt however, Frostmask felt her stomach turn over, a hot sting of betrayal stabbing at her heart.

She knew Redclaw had been checking on her during the past few days, but Frostmask hadn’t spoken to her about that fateful meeting with Sedgestar. Instead Frostmask had just pretended to sleep whenever she was around, like she’d done to Autumnleap.

Truthfully, Frostmask didn’t know what to say to Redclaw. Should she confront her or should she hide the fact that she knew the secret? She didn’t feel like dealing with Redclaw’s deceit right now, but masking her pain would be difficult to pull off…

Frostmask tore her gaze away from Redclaw and to Lizardpaw, forcing her thoughts to focus on her apprentice. She lifting her tail in greeting to him, and Lizardpaw slow-blinked at her affectionately in response. Redclaw dismissed Lizardpaw and Featherpaw, but she and Lizardpaw together still headed over to Frostmask and Autumnleap. Frostmask kept her gaze on Lizardpaw, doing her best to ignore Redclaw.

 _'Are you feeling better?'_ he asked. _'_ _Do you think you can start training again?'_

 _'I’ll have to check with Clearstream, but I am feeling better today.'_ Frostmask signed.

Her mood had lifted a bit after her talk with Autumnleap, although she wasn’t sure if it would last. She could still feel the urge to curl up and sleep forever nagging at the back of her mind, although it wasn’t as strong as earlier… even if her internal wounds still felt as raw as ever.

“What’s going on?” Redclaw’s meow cut in.

The sound of her voice made Frostmask’s jaw clench, but she struggled to keep the turmoil she felt inside from showing up on her face. Redclaw was gazing out at the camp which was still wreathed in stunned silence following Dampfang’s very public challenge of Sedgestar.

“Everyone looks like a fox just ran through here,” Redclaw joked before her eyes widened as she seemed to realize that after the terrible surprise of the SkyClan attack, she shouldn’t rule anything out as a possibility.

“That’s not what happened right?” she asked. “Everyone’s fine?”

“Yes,” Autumnleap reassured her quickly, before explaining Darkpelt and Larkfoot’s announcements, and Dampfang’s argument with Sedgestar.

“Dampfang has walked around like he owns the whole forest since he was a kit,” Redclaw scoffed lightly once Autumnleap was done. “I’m sure Sedgestar humbling him will only help him out in the long run. But, good for Larkfoot. I know she’s been wanting to be back in the nursery for a while.”

Autumnleap nodded, and Redclaw turned to Frostmask then, making her stiffen awkwardly.

“I’m also happy to see you out of the den!” Redclaw said with a warm purr. “It looks like you’re feeling better!”

“Uh, yeah,” Frostmask muttered, doing her best to keep her voice neutral.

But, Redclaw seemed to pick up on her discontent. She tilted her head to the side to study Frostmask with sharp green eyes.

“You _are_ feeling better, aren’t you?” she asked. “You aren’t getting sick, right? Do you feel feverish?”

Redclaw took a step forward to try to touch her nose to Frostmask’s, wanting to see if hers was hot, but Frostmask shied away before they could touch.

“I’m fine,” Frostmask insisted.

Redclaw blinked at her a few times, her brow furrowed.

“I think Frostmask is still just feeling a bit tired and weak. But, overall she’s getting better. Right, Frostmask?” Autumnleap jumped in quickly.

Frostmask glanced over at him, and her blinked at her knowingly.

_He’s covering for me. He thinks I’m just still upset about Sedgestar, and I don’t want to talk about it with Redclaw._

Frostmask dipped her tongue to flatten a piece of her chest fur, feeling a pickle of guilt. She couldn’t help but feel like she was taking advantage of Autumnleap’s good nature.

“Yeah, right,” she murmured.

Redclaw continued staring at her, looking very unconvinced. As Frostmask looked back at Redclaw, the rolling tide of hurt, anger, and sadness in her gut increased, until she felt like she couldn’t stand there with her for a moment longer.

“Speaking of which, I think I’m going to go back to my nest for a bit,” Frostmask murmured, giving quick nods of goodbye to Autumnleap, Redclaw, and Lizardpaw.

 _'Feel better soon!'_ Lizardpaw signed.

Frostmask paused for a moment to gently bump her head to his in response, before she turned to walk to the warriors’ den, forcing herself not to hurry. She sighed in relief as she brushed into the den and out of the sight of Redclaw’s prying gaze. The den was empty, with everyone out enjoying the warmer day, and the peacefulness of it calmed Frostmask as she made it to her nest. She curled up, brushing her tail against her nose and closing her eyes. However, her solitude was interrupted only a few moments later when Frostmask heard the bush rustle as another cat entered the den. Frostmask made the mistake of opening an eye to see who it was, and her gaze met Redclaw’s.

_Snake-dung, now she knows I’m awake!_

Frostmask closed her eyes again regardless, hoping Redclaw would leave her alone if she saw that Frostmask was trying to sleep. However, Redclaw was Pineshade’s mother… and Frostmask knew, like Pineshade, Redclaw was much too stubborn for her own good most of the time.

“Is everything alright with you?” Redclaw’s gentle voice asked.

“Fine. Just tired,” Frostmask muttered tightly, not opening her eyes.

“I know you Frostmask,” Redclaw said, her tone still gentle but more insistent this time. “I can tell when something’s wrong.”

Frostmask felt a sudden surge of cold anger overtake her, and she opened her eyes to meet Redclaw’s gaze.

“Oh, I _know_ you know me,” Frostmask growled in a low voice. “More than I know myself apparently.”

Redclaw’s eyes widened.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” she asked, her nose scrunching in a faint scowl.

Frostmask gave her ears a twitch.

_I shouldn’t’ve said that._

She didn’t want to talk about this right now. Frostmask curled up again, screwing her eyes shut tightly and didn’t respond. As the moments of silence stretched on, Frostmask dearly wished that Redclaw had just decided to leave her be, but those hopes were dashed as Redclaw spoke again, her voice more firm this time.

“Frostmask. Tell me what’s going on.”

Frostmask stiffened, and she opened her eyes to glare accusatively up at Redclaw. It seemed like there would be no escaping this conversation.

“Sedgestar told me the truth,” Frostmask growled. “About SkyClan.”

Redclaw’s eyes widened, and Frostmask knew she understood that Frostmask wasn’t talking about the attack. Redclaw’s mouth opened slightly like she wanted to say something, but she didn’t try to deny it.

“…How long have you known?” Redclaw rasped finally.

Frostmask tore her gaze away from Redclaw to stare furiously at the den wall instead. She was well aware that her clan-mates were just outside, so she spoke in a very low voice.

“Since the night of the attack,” Frostmask growled. “Sedgestar accused me of being the one that told them about the tunnels. But, I had no idea about SkyClan until he told me.”

“Sedgestar accused you of _what?”_ Redclaw snarled, and Frostmask glanced back over at her, surprised at the intensity of anger in her voice.

“Why’d you never tell me?” Frostmask hissed, brushing past Redclaw’s last statement.

Redclaw blinked, and the outrage in her eyes about Sedgestar dimmed to sadness.

“It wasn’t up to me,” Redclaw murmured. “Sedgestar—“

“I know. He told you to keep it a secret.” Frostmask cut her off with a low growl. “But, didn’t you think I had a right to know? What’s the point of keeping the secret from me to ensure my loyalty, if you all are just going to hold it over my head and doubt me anyway?”

Redclaw’s eyes widened, and a flash of hurt appeared in their green depths.

“If Sedgestar truly believed that you would betray ShadowClan, then he has bees in his brain,” Redclaw said in a hushed voice. “But, I’ve never once doubted you, Frostmask. You’re practically my daughter!”

“But, I’m _not,_ right?” Frostmask growled, the fur down her back bristling. “That’s the problem. I never was apart of your family, not really. I mean, it took _seasons_ for Pineshade to come around to me. And, even Poolcloud went along with her the whole time we were in the nursery!”

“I tried my best!” Redclaw protested, her ears flattening. “I spoke with Poolcloud and Pineshade countless times. I never wanted you to feel excluded—“

“But, I still did!” Frostmask hissed, cutting her off. “You knew that I never really belonged in ShadowClan. Or, in your family with you and Weaseltail and your _real_ kits. And, the fact that you kept this secret just proves it!”

Redclaw blinked in stunned silence. Frostmask glared at her for just a moment longer before she turned her back on her, curling up to face the opposite way. Frostmask screwed her eyes shut, determined to ignore Redclaw until she left. Several long moments stretched by, and the only sound Frostmask heard was her own blood roaring in her ears.

“…I’m sorry that I’ve failed you, Frostmask,” Redclaw whispered finally, pain clear in her voice. “Just know that I’ve always loved you as much as I loved the rest. And, I still do.”

Frostmask pressed her ears flat against her head, a lump forming in the back of her throat as the sound of Redclaw’s paw-steps retreated. Only after Redclaw left the den and the rustling of the bush silenced, did Frostmask give into the painful emotions. Her shoulders began to shake, and she bit back a choked sob that threatened to slip out of her jaws. Grief, anger, and even some guilt that she’d hurt Redclaw’s feelings warred in her chest, as if they were all working together to destroy her from the inside out. Frostmask curled herself into the smallest, tightest ball she could manage and prayed for sleep to come quickly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kind of a sad chapter today as Frost deals with the emotional fallout of the secret :( At least we got to see some of Autumnleap being a sweet boi, trying his darnedest to be sensitive to Frostmask’s very confusing (from his point of view lol) feelings.  
> Also, if anyone is wondering about what's going on with Frostmask when she gets really upset and overwhelmed, and why it makes her want to run away nor have others close to her-- poor Frostmask has panic attacks.
> 
> Thank you all for reading and especially to those who left comments and kudos!


	34. The Opener

The rising full-moon cast silver light down on an unease camp. Frostmask fluffed her fur out against the cold as she watched her clan-mates murmuring and shooting uncertain glances to each other. It was a little after sun-down, so ShadowClan would be leaving for Fourtrees soon, but the mood in camp was quite the opposite of the excitement that normally foresaw gatherings. For the first time in Frostmask’s life, ShadowClan would be walking into a meeting with two overtly hostile clans. The idea of brushing pelts with cats who only a little while ago ransacked their camp was setting everyone on edge.

Frostmask’s gaze tracked across the clearing, and her eyes narrowed for a moment as they rested on Redclaw’s tortoiseshell pelt before she looked away. Frostmask had returned to her warriors duties a few days after her conversation with Redclaw, but they had not spoken since. It seemed clear that Redclaw was trying to give her space, which Frostmask was grateful for, but Frostmask also knew that the situation was unsustainable. With their apprentices being littermates, Lizardpaw and Featherpaw would soon wonder why they weren’t training together anymore. Frostmask tail twitched. Still, she couldn’t say how long it would be until she felt ready to forgive Redclaw.

She sighed, giving her head a small shake as she tried to direct her thoughts away from her. Frostmask’s eyes continued their journey through the camp to now rest on Lizardpaw’s white pelt. He was sitting with his litter-mates close to the entrance of the medicine cats’ den, watching the entrance of the cave intently. Hollowpaw, Cedarpaw, Cicketpaw, and their father Dustleap were inside. Clearstream had made a quiet announcement earlier that Buzzardpaw would pass soon, and his family had gone in to say goodbye. Lizardpaw and his littermates were now waiting outside in quiet support of their den-mates.

Frostmask’s ears twisted back, her gaze resting on Lizardpaw.

Buzzardpaw’s death felt so pointless. He was so young, with the promise of a full life in front of him, and yet it was ended prematurely because ShadowClan didn’t have the proper herbs to cure his disease.

Frostmask closed her eyes for a brief moment, her chest tightening.

The hardship of this past moon was almost unbearable, and with the rest of leaf-bare looming over them, she knew it was far from over. All she could do was hope that she and the ones she cared about would have the strength to make it through.

Frostmask forced a deep breath, easing the tension in her chest some as she composed herself for the night. She and Lizardpaw had both been chosen to attend the gathering.

Frostmask scowled faintly to herself. She figured it was another way Sedgestar was trying to apologize and show that he trusted her, but she didn’t feel moved by the gesture. She might’ve even declined attending, if it wasn’t for Lizardpaw. This was his first gathering, and she knew he was looking forward to it, despite the dark mood that hung over the clan like a rising storm.

_And, Buzzardpaw’s death will surely sour the occasion even further._

Frostmask’s tail twitched as her mind turned turn to Paledusk. She wasn’t particularly looking forward to seeing him either. She hoped he wouldn’t approach her— as far as Frostmask was concerned, there was nothing more for them to say to each other.

“Any news?” a low voice asked, snapping Frostmask out of her thoughts.

She turned to see Sedgestar approaching her. In a colossal act of self-control, Frostmask squashed the urge to narrow her eyes at him derisively. Instead, she just flicked her gaze back towards the medicine cats’ den.

“About Buzzardpaw,” Sedgestar added when she didn’t immediately respond.

“No,” Frostmask murmured with another tail twitch.

She heard the sound of Sedgestar sitting down next to her even though she still refused to take her gaze off of the Clanrock to look at him.

“We won’t leave for the gathering until it’s over,” he said. “If that makes us late, so be it. The other clans can wait on us.”

Frostmask just nodded in response, her gaze drifting over to Lizardpaw again.

“You’ll have to watch out for him,” Sedgestar murmured, following her gaze. “I know all apprentices are excited for their first gatherings, but with Lizardpaw’s disability…”

“You don’t have to worry,” Frostmask meowed curtly. “I won’t let anything happen to him.”

At this point, Frostmask hardly noticed the fact that she communicated with Lizardpaw silently rather than with her voice. But, she knew that the other Clans would immediately see him and his paw-signs as odd. Her stomach clenched at the thought of Lizardpaw being mocked for it by the warriors and apprentices he came across. Or worse… being called out for it by a leader in front of everyone, as Frostmask had been for her rogue blood when she was just an apprentice.

“Good,” Sedgestar said with a nod. “Also, I wanted to tell you that Redclaw came to speak to me a few days ago.”

This made Frostmask finally look over at him, her eyes widening slightly in surprise.

“I thought you decided not to tell anyone,” Sedgestar meowed, his voice mild and his amber gaze unreadable.

Frostmask shrugged, trying to project indifference, although she felt the fur on the back of her neck starting to bristle defensively.

“She already knew. I don’t think it really counts,” she pointed out. “And, besides. I didn’t decide either way what I was going to do. You told me that I could tell anyone, if I wanted.”

“Yes,” Sedgestar agreed, inclining his head towards her slightly. “That is still true. Although if you are planning on making it common knowledge to the clan, it may be best coming from me. I could hold a meeting about it.”

Frostmask’s eyes narrowed, and she repressed the urge to growl. Even though Sedgestar had told her that she had every right to do with the information what she wished, it seemed like that wasn’t entirely true. He was still trying to manage or control the secret even now. Even when it belonged to her.

_Maybe Paledusk has a point about Sedgestar’s manipulations._

Frostmask sent the thought away with a flick of her ears. She couldn’t linger on it now— Sedgestar was too good at reading others for that.

“I didn’t decide that,” Frostmask said cooly. “I haven’t even told anyone else yet. I just wanted to talk to Redclaw about it.”

Sedgestar nodded.

“You’re upset with Redclaw for keeping it from you,” he said.

Frostmask twitched her tail in a manner which said _‘Obviously,’_ but she didn’t respond.

“If it makes you feel any better, when she met with me, she practically clawed my whiskers off,” Sedgestar meowed, a hint of amusement appearing in his voice.

Frostmask’s brow furrowed.

_You deserved it._

But, she still didn’t say that, or anything, out loud. Sedgestar rose to his paws, seeming to accept that he wouldn’t get anymore conversation out of her.

“Keep your eyes and ears sharp at the gathering,” he meowed over his shoulder as he began to pad off. “I want everyone on the lookout for any of SkyClan’s or RiverClan’s motivations or weaknesses.”

Frostmask gave a curt nod, and she watched as Sedgestar headed over to where Grovepelt and Emberflower were sitting together, deep in conversation. Frostmask turned her head away from him as a new set of paw-steps approached her. Autumnleap came over to her side, greeting her with a gentle bump of his forehead against the side of her face.

“Hey,” Frostmask said in greeting, relaxing some as he settled down next to her.

“I saw Sedgestar talking to you,” Autumnleap meowed, angling his ears towards the leader. “What was that about?”

Frostmask felt herself tense back up again.

“Nothing really. I think he’s still trying to make me feel better for what he did.” Frostmask’s tail twitched. “I think that’s the whole reason he invited me to this gathering. He’s trying to win me back over.”

“You still sure you don’t want me to talk to him?” Autumnleap said with a small growl, his gaze searing holes into Sedgestar’s back.

Frostmask brushed her tail along his flank in a soothing gesture.

“It’s okay. I’m dealing with it,” she murmured. “I just wish that I wasn’t going to this dumb gathering. Or, that you were coming with me at least.”

Autumnleap glanced away from Sedgestar to look at her.

“Well, I don’t blame Sedgestar for wanting to keep a big guard at the camp,” Autumnleap said. “I mean, I know tonight’s a truce, but I wouldn’t put anything past those fox-hearts.”

He inclined his head to the side.

“Although, why don’t you want to go to the gathering?” he asked.

Frostmask’s ears flattened against her head.

“Well for one thing I don’t like feeling like Sedgestar’s manipulating me,” she said with a soft growl. “Like ‘I let you go to the gathering, and in return you forgive me for accusing you of betraying the clan.’ It’s not that easy. And, also…”

Frostmask hesitated, her thoughts turning to Paledusk, but she couldn’t tell Autumnleap about that.

“Also I just don’t want to see any of SkyClan’s ugly-dog faces,” she growled instead, lashing her tail.

Autumnleap chuckled lightly, pressing his pelt against her side.

“Put your claws away, tigress,” he teased. “I doubt Sedgestar would be pleased if you attacked a SkyClan cat and broke the truce.”

Frostmask twitched her tail.

“Of course I wouldn’t start a fight,” she grumbled. “But, if a SkyClan cat goes for one of us first…”

“Then I’m sure you’ll have all of ShadowClan’s blessing, and StarClan’s as well, to tear them to shreds,” Autumnleap said lightly with a purr, giving her cheek a gentle lick and making all of her thoughts screech to a stop.

Frostmask cleared her throat and tried to cover her suddenly prickling pelt by bending her head to groom her chest fur with a few swift strokes. A moment later, Poolcloud and Dewleaf came trotting over to them, offering Frostmask a welcome distraction.

“Hey guys,” Poolcloud meowed before settling down on the ground in a crouch next to them, carefully tucking his paws under himself.

Dewleaf nodded in greeting, taking a seat next to Poolcloud as well and leaning herself into his fluff.

“You ready for the most awkward gathering in history?” Poolcloud said, his gaze resting on Frostmask.

Frostmask sighed.

“Let’s just get it over with,” she meowed, her tail flipping behind her.

“Resignation— that’s the spirit,” Poolcloud teased, giving a brief purr.

“I’d like to think of it less as ‘resignation’ and more as ‘stoic dignity,’” Dewleaf said, flicking her tail against Poolcloud’s flank.

“In that case, you should go to the gathering instead of me,” Poolcloud responded, his gaze sparkling.

“Why is that?” Dewleaf purred, her green eyes warm.

“Well, I’m pretty sure Sedgestar is trying to project an image of resilience and strength,” Poolcloud said drily. “And, not an image of a bunch of cats just huddling around, waiting for the worst.”

Dewleaf snorted, shaking her head in mock exasperation. Poolcloud flashed a glance at Frostmask.

“No offense,” he said quickly with a purr as he remembered she was going to the gathering too. “I was talking about myself really.”

Frostmask shrugged.

“None taken, I feel the same way,” she responded.

“Why do you two have to be such downers,” Autumnleap broke in, giving a playful eye-roll. “Where’s Pineshade when you need her to knock some sense into you fluff-brains?”

Frostmask tilted her head to the side, musing on Autumnleap’s question. Where was Pineshade? She hadn’t been chosen for the gathering patrol, but Frostmask couldn’t spot her hanging around the edges of the camp either.

“I think she went for a walk with Dampfang a little while ago,” Poolcloud said, answering Frostmask’s curious look. “I think she was trying to distract him. He seemed pretty sulky that he wasn’t chosen for the gathering.”

“Like Sedgestar would’ve been frog-brained enough to pick him after his outburst a few days ago,” Dewleaf scoffed, flicking her ears. “Sedgestar knows better than to reward my brother’s bad behavior.”

“I’ve got to give him props for having the guts to stand up to Sedgestar like that though,” Poolcloud meowed, giving a half-joking shudder. “I’d never be able to do that. Sedgestar’s too scary.”

“No, you’re plenty brave enough,” Dewleaf argued back, her tail twitching. “You just understand that Sedgestar deserves our respect.”

She glanced at Autumnleap and Frostmask as if looking for support, but neither of them responded right away. Frostmask looked at Autumnleap as he glanced to the ground, giving a non-committal mutter. His gaze then flickered to Frostmask’s, and she understood, that like her, he was thinking about Sedgestar’s accusation of her. Frostmask broke eye-contact with him to stare down at her paws, also avoiding Dewleaf’s prompting gaze.

“It’s probably for the best that Dampfang isn’t going to the gathering anyway,” Autumnleap said before the pause could stretch on too long and turn awkward. “He’s not well known for his ability to keep his claws sheathed.”

Dewleaf sighed.

“I just wish Dampfang didn’t have such a big head, and he wasn’t so stubborn,” she complained. “He could be a brilliant warrior, if only he listened to what other cats had to say a fraction more of the time, instead of always believing that what he thought was right.”

Poolcloud nodded in agreement, but Frostmask just twisted her ears back. Dampfang was brave and a good fighter all right, but from her perspective, his personality needed a bit more tweaking than just the few things Dewleaf suggested to make him a good warrior.

“I think Pineshade’s good for him at least,” Dewleaf added, tilting her head thoughtfully. “She’s the only one he listens to. I mean, besides Marshnose and Darkpelt of course.”

Autumnleap rolled his eyes again.

“And, even then, he barely takes what she says into account,” Autumnleap pointed out.

“Sure, but ‘barely’ is better than ‘never,’” Dewleaf countered with a flick of her tail. “You gotta take the small victories with Dampfang.”

Frostmask’s attention drifted away from their conversation as, out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Elmclaw emerging from the medicine cat’s den. The many injuries he had received during the fight had started to seal over, but he was still missing large patches of fur on his sides.

The camp quieted as the eyes of the clan turned to the medicine cat, everyone knowing what he was going to say, but dreading it anyway.

“Buzzardpaw hunts with StarClan now,” Elmclaw rumbled, his green eyes clouded with grief and anger as if he blamed himself for not being able to save the apprentice. “We will bring his body out for vigil.”

A murmur of sadness passed through ShadowClan. Dewleaf and Poolcloud gazed at each other with wide, sorrowful eyes. Frostmask bowed her head, and Autumnleap sighed, pressing his pelt against hers again.

Sedgestar rose to his paws.

“He’s with his mother again,” Sedgestar said. “Dawntail will watch over him and guide him to our ancestor’s hunting grounds.”

Sedgestar cast a glance up towards the clear, cloudless sky.

“We will hold his death ceremony when we return from the gathering,” he meowed. “There’s no rush— the path to the stars is clear tonight.”

Sedgestar called the gathering patrol to him with a wave of his tail. Frostmask rose to her paws and reluctantly stepped away from the warmth of Autumnleap’s side. She touched her nose to his ear in farewell.

“I’ll see you soon,” she said, pulling away.

He nodded, giving a soft purr, but that didn’t hide the deep weariness that had appeared in his eyes after the announcement about Buzzardpaw’s death, as it had for many of her clan-mates. Frostmask nodded goodbye to Dewleaf, and she and Poolcloud trotted over to the group together. Lizardpaw appeared at her other side quickly, but his eyes were also dulled in sadness. Frostmask lay her tail over his back in a supportive gesture.

 _'Stay close to me at the gathering. You never know what those fox-hearts might do,'_ she signed to Lizardpaw, feeling the ghost of Swoopstrike in her words.

Lizardpaw nodded, his expression turning steely.

Sedgestar flicked his tail, and the ShadowClan patrol followed him out of the camp.

The journey through the dark forest passed in an uneventful blur, and soon enough the ShadowClan patrol crouched at the top of the ridge that led down to Fourtrees’ hollow. As Sedgestar had expected, it looked like ShadowClan was the last to arrive; the clearing already seemed full to the brim with cats. Sedgestar flicked his tail, and ShadowClan streamed down the hill in a rolling wave, before coming to a sudden stop at the edge of the clearing. The patrol grouped together loosely, reluctant to mingle with the other Clans. Only Sedgestar and Grovepelt ventured into the crowd so they could head towards the Great Rock.

“Look who finally decided to show up,” a nearby grey warrior sneered at the ShadowClan patrol.

He was RiverClan cat, judging by the sleekness of his fur and the fish-scent radiating off his pelt. Dappledpelt whirled towards him, giving a loud hiss and lashing her tail. Emberflower was standing at her side, and Frostmask knew that if this was another gathering, Emberflower might have quietly scolded Dappledpelt for such overt hostility. But not tonight— this time, she shot the RiverClan tom a poisonous stare. The grey tabby warrior opened his jaws as it to snap something back at Dappledpelt, but his eyes widened slightly as he noticed that the entire ShadowClan patrol raking gazes as sharp as thorns over him. The grey tom clamped his jaws shut and rose to his paws to stiffly pad away.

Their patrol turned away from him and grouped even more tightly together, murmuring angrily among themselves like a disturbed beehive. When Frostmask glanced away from the retreating form of the RiverClan tom, she found herself suddenly surrounded by apprentices. Featherpaw and Yewpaw had come over to join Lizardpaw, and the three young cats were gazing around at the sea of pelts with wide eyes.

“Are we allowed to talk to anyone?” Featherpaw asked with accompanying paw-signs for Lizardpaw’s sake.

She shot an uncertain glance back at their hostile patrol before her gaze flickered out towards the other clans. Her expression was curious, but the fur down her back also prickled with apprehension.

Frostmask followed her gaze out into the crowd.

 _'Yes we can.'_ Frostmask signed. ' _It’s a truce, so we should be able to talk to anyone, although it’d be best to avoid RiverClan and SkyClan for this gathering.'_

Frostmask paused for a moment, considering their options.

 _'Let’s find some ThunderClan cats,'_ she decided. ' _They’re the least snake-hearted of the bunch.'_

The apprentices nodded, gazing at her for direction. Frostmask shot a glance back at their patrol. A few other cats had decided to brave the crowd, but it seemed clear that most of ShadowClan would be sticking to their own clan-mates tonight.

Frostmask was unsure of how she had suddenly became in charge of three apprentices instead of one, but she still led the way into the crowd, making sure the apprentices were all close to her as her gaze scanned the area for familiar pelts. A little ways away, she spotted a brown tabby, and her ears pricked, recognizing the ThunderClan apprentice Screechpaw. She flicked her tail at the apprentices to gesture for them to follow, and she trotted over to him, Lizardpaw, Yewpaw, and Featherpaw trailing behind her.

“Screechpaw!” she called.

Screechpaw was talking to a dark brown tom next to him, but his ears pricked at Frostmask’s voice. He turned towards her and his amber eyes brightened as he recognized her.

“Frostmask!” he meowed, giving her a respectful a head dip as she padded up to him. “It’s been a while.”

“It has,” she agreed with a friendly nod in response. “I hope prey’s been running well in ThunderClan.”

Screechpaw’s gaze darkened slightly.

“Not as well as it could’ve been,” he said with a growl. “But, I’ll let Morningstar explain that.”

Frostmask’s brow furrowed at his dark tone. But, before she had time to dwell on it, Screechpaw’s gaze flickered to the three apprentices hanging back shyly behind Frostmask.

“Hello,” he meowed to them with a friendly blink.

Frostmask turned to introduce the three.

“This is Yewpaw and Featherpaw,” she said along with paw-signs, flicking her tail towards them in turn. “And, my apprentice Lizardpaw. They’ve been training for about a moon and a half. It’s their first gathering.”

“Hi,” Yewpaw and Featherpaw chorused, while Lizardpaw gave a polite nod.

Frostmask could see that Screechpaw was gazing at her paw-signs curiously, but he didn’t say anything about it, just turning to incline his head towards the dark brown tom at his shoulder, who had been silent thus far.

“This is my brother Barredpaw,” Screechpaw said.

Barredpaw gave them a nod.

Lizardpaw touched his tail against Featherpaw’s shoulder and signed to her.

“How do you know Frostmask?” Featherpaw interpreted, turning to gaze at Screechpaw, her eyes wide and curious.

“We fought together in a battle…” Screechpaw said, his brow becoming more furrowed as Featherpaw signed as he spoke, interpreting his words for Lizardpaw. “… I’m sorry, what are you doing with your paws and tail?”

“She’s translating for Lizardpaw,” Frostmask answered for her. “Lizardpaw is deaf so we communicate with him mostly through a language we call ‘paw-sign.’ He developed most of it himself when he was only a kit. He’s very clever.”

Frostmask did her best to keep her voice neutral as she explained, although she already felt some hairs down her back stiffen defensively. Thankfully, Screechpaw just looked mostly curious. But, then Barredpaw leaned around his brother, his brow furrowed as his gaze flickered from Frostmask to Lizardpaw and back.

“He’s training to be a warrior, you said?” Barredpaw asked. “Aren’t you worried about him getting hurt in a battle?”

Frostmasked blinked.

“I worry about all my clan-mates getting hurt,” she responded icily.

“Yes, but—“ Barredpaw insisted.

“Lizardpaw can fight just fine,” Yewpaw growled, leaping to his brother’s defense. “He’s deaf, not _frog-brained.”_

Barredpaw scowled, meeting Yewpaw’s glare as the two apprentices sized each other up. Lizardpaw’s ears had twisted back, his expression clearly uncomfortable, but Frostmask wasn’t sure if he had picked up on that they were arguing about him. Screechpaw touched his tail-tip to Barredpaw’s shoulder soothingly, clearly trying to defuse the situation.

“Developing a whole new language is very impressive,” Screechpaw meowed, turning back to the ShadowClan cats. “Anyway, do you guys want to hear the rest of the battle story?”

“Yes!” Featherpaw said, while Lizardpaw nodded after she interpreted Screechpaw’s question for him. Yewpaw still shot Barredpaw a sour look, but after a pause he nodded at Screechpaw as well.

As Screechpaw described the battle against SkyClan for the ThunderClan camp, embellishing a few parts, (Frostmask certainly did not remember _hundreds_ of SkyClan warriors falling from the sky like rain) Frostmask’s attention began to drift across the crowd. Her gaze made its way to the Great Rock, and she stiffened as her eyes fell on Paledusk’s white pelt sitting at the base of it. However, her attention was quickly pulled away as she saw Sedgestar bounding up the side of the Great Rock, where the other four leaders were already waiting for him. Sedgestar shot them all a narrowed glance before settling on the very edge of the Great Rock, the farthest away from them as possible.

“So ShadowClan did decide to come.” Rabbitstar’s loud voice drifted over to Frostmask, cutting through the sounds of the dozens of voices of the crowd. “I was beginning to think that bog you live in finally decided to swallow you up.”

Frostmask pricked her ears to listen for Sedgestar’s response.

“Perhaps WindClan should just learn patience,” her leader said sharply. “Not all cats are as fidgety and flighty as you.”

Rabbitstar studied Sedgestar closely, his eyes narrowing.

“Your tail’s in a twist,” he commented snidely, surprising Frostmask with his perception. “Normally you like to stick your nose in the air, like you’re better than the rest of us. But, tonight you’re looking for a fight.”

Sedgestar’s tail twitched, and he didn’t respond. Rabbitstar’s gaze flickered around the other leaders. Morningstar was glowering at Fennelstar. Fennelstar’s tail was lashing. Willowstar was pointedly ignoring all the other leaders. Rabbitstar’s large ears pricked in understanding as he studied the hostility radiating between his rivals.

“Oh. So that’s it then,” Rabbitstar said, turning back to Sedgestar as a smug expression drifted across his muzzle.

Sedgestar’s tail lashed, but before he could do anything, Rabbitstar turned aside, striding to the front of the Great Rock, where he let out a loud yowl that echoed through the clearing. Quiet settled over the Clans as everyone turned to look up at the Great Rock.

“It’s another full moon!” Rabbitstar yowled. “Let this leaf-bare Gathering begin.”

Frostmask glanced over at the apprentices at her side and gave an approving nod when she saw that Featherpaw and Yewpaw were taking turns interpreting Rabbitstar’s words for Lizardpaw. Her attention flickered back to the Great Rock, and she saw Rabbitstar turn to the other leaders. He gazed at the showdown brewing between them with rapt interest.

“By all means, one of you start first,” Rabbitstar said, a positively gleeful look on his face.

Willowstar rose herself to her paws with a flourish of her silky striped tail.

“I’ll begin then,” she meowed smoothly. “RiverClan is doing well. We’ve had a small outbreak of white-cough, but nothing that our medicine cats can’t handle. The fish are still swimming well. The river has not frozen over completely so we haven’t had to worry about empty bellies.”

Frostmask’s eyes narrowed critically.

_Is anything that Willowstar is saying about the white-cough true? They wanted our stolen herbs, so is it really nothing they couldn’t handle?_

Frostmask mused this information around in her head, wondering if she should tell Sedgestar and Grovepelt what she knew about the herbs. She could play it off as overhearing something at the gathering rather than telling them about Paledusk.

Willowstar paused for a moment, and Morningstar glared at her.

“Anything else to report, RiverClan?” he growled, curling his lips back in a snarl. “Like perhaps a _fox-hearted_ attack you orchestrated with SkyClan on our territory?”

A muted wave of surprise made it through the clearing. Frostmask’s ears pricked in shock. She shot a quick glance at Screechpaw. He was glaring up at Willowstar with undisguised fury. This must have been want he meant about ‘letting Morningstar explain.’

Willowstar was silent for a heartbeat longer, making Frostmask wonder if she wasn’t going to address Morningstar at all, but then the RiverClan leader continued.

“Oh that messy business,” she said breezily with a dismissive wave of her paw as if Morningstar had accused her of looking at him funny rather than attacking his Clan. “My apologies about that. You see, SkyClan was late on their payment for something they owed us, so my warriors were just there to make sure they held up their end of their bargain this time. It’s nothing personal.”

 _“Nothing personal!?”_ Morningstar spat, his eyes outraged. “Your Clan helped SkyClan steal a piece of land that rightfully belongs to ThunderClan!”

Screechpaw snarled as the rest of the ThunderClan cats yowled out their anger along with their leader. All of Morningstar’s fur had puffed up in fury, but Willowstar was completely unruffled. She shrugged, her expression nonchalant.

“And, now that land is under SkyClan control,” she said. “So, it really sounds like something you should be discussing with Fennelstar and not with me.”

 _“I’ll claw that smug look off your face!”_ Morningstar thundered, whirling on her.

Willowstar still didn’t even twitch a whisker, but Rabbitstar stepped between the two leaders before Morningstar could follow through on his threat. Rabbitstar tsked his tongue loudly.

“Temper, temper!” Rabbitstar chided Morningstar, as his eyes shone with malicious amusement. “Don’t forget that tonight’s a sacred truce.”

For a moment, Morningstar looked like he was considering clawing Rabbitstar’s face instead, but then the ThunderClan leader whirled around and strode to the front of the Great Rock.

“About a half moon ago, RiverClan and SkyClan worked together to take control of some ThunderClan territory,” he announced with a growl. “ThunderClan now considers itself at war with SkyClan and RiverClan and will treat their cats thusly.”

ThunderClan yowled out support for their leader, getting a few hostile growls and snarls in response by neighboring RiverClan and SkyClan warriors. Willowstar, however, was still treating Morningstar as if he was nothing but a pesky fly buzzing around her head. Strangely though, Fennelstar also had nothing to say in response to the ThunderClan leader. His frame looked thin and his eyes were tired, as if he wasn’t feeling up to his favorite past-time of tormenting Morningstar today.

Frostmask’s brow furrowed thoughtfully.

_I wonder if he’s ill._

Sedgestar strode forward, going to stand next to Morningstar’s side.

“ShadowClan also suffered a unprompted, fox-hearted blow from SkyClan with RiverClan’s help within this past moon,” he growled, his voice as hard and sharp as ice. “Our Clan is recovering well despite the damage they caused to our camp… but we will not let such a raid against ShadowClan remain unchallenged. Any SkyClan or RiverClan cats caught on our territory from this point on will be treated with _deadly_ force. Until SkyClan and RiverClan work to mend the damage they’ve done to their relations with ShadowClan, my warriors have my full permission to kill any SkyClan and RiverClan trespassers on sight.”

Frostmask’s ears perked upwards in surprise, and she saw Yewpaw’s, Featherpaw’s, and Lizardpaw’s eyes also widened at Sedgestar’s threat. Killing cats just for trespassing seemed a bit extreme… but it seemed like Sedgestar wanted to make it clear that ShadowClan was not to be trifled with. Sedgestar cast a scorching glare at Fennelstar and Willowstar, baring his fangs at them.

“Do I make myself clear?” he said, rumbling a low warning growl.

“An honorable warrior doesn't have to kill to win his battles,” Rabbitstar cut in, his thin tail twitching.

Sedgestar whirled on him.

“You stay out of this, Rabbitstar!” he spat. “They nullified their privilege to be treated as honorable warriors when they launched this attack! They also already killed one of our warriors during the raid. We are defending our territory and our home! SkyClan and RiverClan will not have to worry as long as they stay on their lands.”

Rabbitstar arched a brow at Sedgestar, curling his lip up as if to sneer something at him, but Sedgestar continued before he could.

“And, if you dare lift a claw to help either of _them,”_ Sedgestar growled with a quick glance to Fennelstar and Willowstar. “WindClan will be treated the same.”

“Quite right,” Morningstar growled in support of Sedgestar, giving him a curt, appreciative nod.

Rabbitstar clamped his jaws shut as his gaze narrowed, his good mood soured by Sedgestar’s threat.

“Cats die in battle, Sedgestar,” Fennelstar rumbled, his tail twitching but his expression composed. “It’s a sad fact of life. We lost a good warrior too, who succumbed to her wounds the morning after the battle.”

Sedgestar sneered at Fennelstar, curling his lips up to bare bright fangs.

“I feel no pity for cats who would deal such a fox-hearted attack,” he growled.

“Then you should look inward before declaring such things,” Fennelstar snapped, some fire returning to his tired eyes. “I know your cats have been trespassing. We were just paying you back in kind.”

Frostmask’s fur prickled, and she stiffened as she realized, as Grovepelt suspected, SkyClan indeed knew at least a bit about ShadowClan’s patrols onto their territory.

“You _liar!”_ Sedgestar yowled without missing a beat, his fur bristling. “ShadowClan will not allow you to throw around such baseless accusations!”

Sedgestar spoke with such conviction, Frostmask would’ve believed him, if she didn’t know for a fact that his words were completely untrue.

Fennelstar bared yellowed fangs at Sedgestar.

“Then come make us,” he growled in a low voice, his tone clear that he believed ShadowClan was in no state to do so.

Sedgestar gave a low, dangerous growl in return and tense silence fell over the leaders for a few heartbeats.

“…Does anyone have anything else to report?” Morningstar rumbled, casting sharp glares at the other leaders.

Fennelstar glanced away from Sedgestar, giving his head a sharp shake. Morningstar’s gaze flickered to Rabbitstar, and he sneered.

“Nothing that could match the absurdity of this farce,” Rabbitstar growled.

“Then this gathering is over,” Morningstar growled.

He bounded down from the Great Rock first, but signaled Sedgestar over to him with a flick of his tail before the ShadowClan leader could head off. The two peeled away from the rest of the crowd for a moment, their heads bent closely together. Similarly, Willowstar and Fennelstar remained perched on the Great Rock, murmuring together. Only Rabbitstar bounded over to gather his cats to go home. Frostmask watched Sedgestar and Morningstar curiously for a moment, but her view of them was cut off by the crowd of churning cats as everyone began to find their clan-mates or head back to their own territory.

Screechpaw rose to his paws, glancing at Frostmask and the apprentices.

“Seems like our clans have similar problems again,” he said with a small growl. “Best of luck to ShadowClan. May StarClan light your path.”

Frostmask nodded to him, a bit caught off guard by the formal, respectful goodbye.

“And, yours,” she said. “Good luck.”

Frostmask gathered the apprentices to her with a wave of her tail, and they began to make their way back over to their clan. Lizardpaw’s steps were dragging, his expression troubled. Frostmask glanced at him, but Featherpaw broke in before Frostmask could ask what’s wrong.

 _'Lets go talk to Dad,'_ she signed to her brothers, nodding to indicate Rowanheart’s ginger pelt which had appeared in a gap in the crowd.

Lizardpaw glanced up at Frostmask, and she nodded at him to go on ahead, forcing a cheerful expression to try to lift his mood. Lizardpaw just blinked in reply and trotted off after his litter-mates. Frostmask followed at a slower pace, her thoughts torn between the tempestuous gathering and concern for her apprentice.

 _“Frostmask.”_ A voice hissed.

Frostmask jerked, her head turning towards the voice. Paledusk was watching her from the bushes that ringed the outside of the clearing, and he jerked his chin at her to indicate for her to come over. Frostmask hesitated, her pelt bristling. Her first instinct was to walk away— go join the rest of her clan who were slowly grouping together to wait for Sedgestar. But, instead, she found her paws carrying her over to Paledusk. Despite herself, she was curious about what he wanted… and she could always tell him to leave her alone and head off if it was nothing interesting.

“What do you want?” Frostmask growled brusquely as she brushed into the undergrowth near Paledusk.

She kept a few tail-lengths of distance between them as she stared at him, her muscles stiff. Paledusk blinked, his whiskers twitching in amusement.

“Hello to you too, sunshine,” he laughed.

Frostmask growled over the sound of his purr.

“Don’t call me that,” she said, taking a seat. “Make this fast or someone will know that I’m missing.”

Paledusk tilted his head to the side.

“My apologies for the poor joke,” he said. “And, I just wanted to talk to you. See how you and your Clan are recovering.”

Frostmask’s eyes narrowed, immediately on guard.

“You heard Sedgestar. We’re fine,” she said, tensing.

“You’re suspicious. I don’t blame you,” Paledusk meowed with a tail twitch, and Frostmask blinked, surprised by his candor. “But, my motivations are genuine Frostmask. I’d just like to get to know you.”

“Do me a favor and _don’t,”_ Frostmask growled, getting back to her paws to leave.

Clearly speaking to him wasn’t worth her time.

“I have no reason to trust you. You’re a stranger and my enemy,” she said.

“And, isn’t that a shame?” Paledusk asked, widening his eyes at her appealingly before she could stalk off. “Wouldn’t it be better for us to be friends than enemies? For both us _and_ our clans? There would be so much less fighting and bloodshed that way.”

Frostmask blinked, her tail lashing in confusion.

“You’d say that even though Fennelstar and Sedgestar just got into that fight? Even though Sedgestar just threatened SkyClan with deadly force?” she asked.

“Well his reaction is completely understandable,” Paledusk said with a shrug. “I’m sure I’d react similarly in his place.”

Frostmask shook her ears, still trying to wrap her head around it.

“But, _why?”_ she growled.

“I want to get to know my own blood, and I’d like to be able to help you,” he meowed with a warm blink.

Frostmask’s brow furrowed.

“So you’d be disloyal to your clan?” she pressed. “Like how you gave me the herbs even though it’d put your neck on the line?”

A shadow of a frown drifted over Paledusk’s features.

“No. I won’t betray SkyClan,” he said. “As for why I gave you the herbs, I knew I had a lot of time and pain to make up for, and I wanted you to know that I was serious about doing so.”

Paledusk purred, his charm and good humor returning.

“And, besides,” he said. “Those herbs were for RiverClan, and I don’t think either of us will be lamenting over those slimy eel-hearts.”

Frostmask’s tail twitched uncertainly.

“In fact, your loyalty to your adoptive clan is something that I admire about you,” Paledusk continued. “I’d never ask you to betray them, and I’d hope you’d respect my loyalty to SkyClan the same. What I’m talking about is mutual gain. There is a way for both SkyClan and ShadowClan to benefit here.”

Paledusk’s ears twitched, and he lifted his head to glance over at the clearing. Frostmask followed his gaze. The remaining clans had almost all grouped separately now to wait for their leaders.

“But, I think it’s time for us to depart now,” Paledusk said as he stood. “Take time to think about it. And, meet me back here the night of the new-moon to give me your answer.”

Frostmask blinked, but before she could even think of a response, Paledusk strode off, trotting over to the SkyClan group. Frostmask tail twitched as she turned, quickly slipping back over to ShadowClan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tbh I wish I had more time in this story to feature Rabbitstar. He's this chaotic little gremlin who loves to stir up trouble. Anyway, lots and lots of scheming this chapter… Thank you for reading and especially to those who left kudos and comments! And, thank you all for the almost 1000 hits!!


	35. Insecurities

Sedgestar and Grovepelt padded into camp in the late afternoon. At the sound of them pushing through the thorn barrier, Frostmask stirred, straightening from where she had been crouched between Pineshade and Poolcloud near the entrance to the warriors' den. Despite the chilly air, her recent meal and the warm press of their pelts on either side of her had lured her to a half-sleep state, but she easily shook off her drowsiness as she fixed her gaze on their leader and deputy. Poolcloud's ears pricked, and his gaze lifted up off his half-eaten mouse to flick over to them.

"Did they have another meeting with Morningstar?" he asked.

"Yep," Pineshade responded, running her paw across her whiskers as she groomed her face.

"I didn't even notice them leave," Poolcloud said, his brow furrowing.

"Well, it is the third one in just a quarter moon," Pineshade said, her amber eyes narrowing slightly. "Not exactly a novelty at this point."

"You think they've made any progress with ThunderClan this time?" Frostmask asked, stifling a yawn.

The three of them tracked Sedgestar and Grovepelt across the camp with their gazes, watching as their leader's and deputy's tails disappeared into Sedgestar's den.

"No clan meeting. So probably not," Pineshade mewed.

Poolcloud kneaded his claws into the ground anxiously.

"I don't understand why they've been talking so much with Morningstar," he said. "It can't be that complicated, right? ThunderClan was attacked. We were attacked. Our interests should be aligned."

Pineshade's ears angled back and her brow furrowed.

"I don't like how secretive Sedgestar's being about their meetings, either," she said. "Not letting the clan know what progress is happening or what plans are being made has been setting cats on edge."

Frostmask cast a look at Pineshade out of the corner of her eye. Concern marked her features, and her amber gaze was flicking around camp as if she was searching for a specific pelt.

Frostmask knew that by 'cats,' Pineshade really meant Dampfang. It was no secret that he was still impatient to strike back against SkyClan and RiverClan. Although in this case, Frostmask couldn't help but be sympathetic towards his annoyance. She wasn't happy Sedgestar was leaving the clan in the dark either.

The fur down Frostmask's back prickled as a sudden thought struck her.

_Is it me? Because he doesn't trust me; am I the reason that he's not talking about it with the whole camp?_

Poolcloud's voice pulled her back to the moment.

"Maybe it's good that we're holding off on an attack for a bit longer. Thornheart's fought off his infection, but other cats are still sick with white-cough," he said, shifting uneasily. "I know that Clearstream and Elmclaw got more herbs from ThunderClan territory, but there's still no catmint. ThunderClan had a poor harvest of it during green-leaf and didn't have any to share."

Poolcloud shot a glance towards the dark entrance to the medicine cats' den in the cleft of Clanrock, his tail twitching.

Frostmask's ears twisted back. She knew that Fogfur, Poolcloud's old mentor, was one of the cats in that den. Poolcloud must be worried sick about him.

"Have you heard anything about more green-cough appearing?" Frostmask asked him softly.

Poolcloud shook his head.

"No. But, Elmclaw told me that if a cat has white-cough, there's a chance that it can turn to green-cough at any time," he said. "And, the chances increase the longer a cat stays sick."

A dark shadow passed over Poolcloud's face. Frostmask's pelt prickled as the image of Buzzardpaw's frail corpse during his vigil appeared in her mind. She dearly hoped none of her clan-mates would suffer the same fate.

"Have you visited Fogfur recently? How's he doing?" Frostmask said, gently steering the conversation towards what she knew Poolcloud was already thinking about.

Poolcloud sighed.

"He's hanging in there. And, in good spirits. You know how stubborn he is; he's not going to let a little bit of white-cough get him down." A flicker of fond amusement softened Poolcloud's worried features for a moment before his brow furrowed again. "But, I can tell he's been losing weight. It's getting close to a entire moon since he first got sick…"

"Fogfur is a strong cat," Pineshade said firmly. "If anyone can fight it off, he can."

Poolcloud sighed again.

"I hope so. But, I don't think this sickness is exactly something cats can chase off like a fox," he said, lowering his chin to his paws.

Poolcloud gazed at the half-eaten mouse in front of his muzzle, his amber eyes round with despondence. Then he looked away from it as if he couldn't stomach the thought of eating more, even though prey was scarce right now and each bite of food precious.

Frostmask's belly clenched in anxiety for him, and the scar left on her heart from Swoopstrike's death ached.

_I hope Poolcloud doesn't have to feel that same pain._

Frostmask pressed her side closer to Poolcloud's and turned her head to rasp her tongue down his shoulder, grooming his thick fur soothingly. Poolcloud rumbled a brief purr of gratitude in response to her efforts, but the worry didn't fade from his eyes. Instead, he stirred and straightened. He nodded down at the half of the mouse.

"I'm going to take this to Fogfur," he said. "He needs it more than I do."

"Alright," Pineshade meowed, looking at Poolcloud with the same worry in her eyes that Frostmask felt for him. "Sun-high's basically over anyway. I should go get Cricketpaw for more training."

"And, I should find Lizardpaw," Frostmask added.

Poolcloud nodded, bending his head to pick up the prey.

"I'll see you guys later then," he mumbled around the food before turning and heading to the medicine cats' den.

As Frostmask and Pineshade walked over to the apprentices' den side by side, Frostmask fur prickled as she felt another pair of eyes on them. Frostmask glanced around camp, quickly finding Redclaw with Weaseltail, the two of them chatting with Larkfoot near the nursery. Redclaw was staring at Frostmask with a mournful gaze, while Weaseltail and Larkfoot continued their conversation, oblivious. Frostmask quickly looked away as soon as her gaze met with Redclaw's. Guilt flipped in her stomach, but she pushed the feeling away, turning her attention back to Poolcloud instead. She cast another glance over her shoulder towards him.

"You think he's okay?" she fretted to Pineshade. "Not wanting to eat isn't like him. What if he's getting sick too?"

Pineshade followed her gaze back towards Poolcloud as he ducked under the lichen and into the medicine cats' den.

"I think he's just worried about Fogfur," she meowed. "But, I'll talk to Dewleaf, and ask her to keep an eye on him."

Frostmask nodded, some of her concern fading. Dewleaf wouldn't let anything bad happen to Poolcloud.

They made it to the holly bush that formed the apprentices' den, and Pineshade stuck her head inside, calling to Cricketpaw with a mew while Frostmask woke Lizardpaw from his nap by stomping a paw on the ground of the den. Then they drew back, waiting for their sleepy apprentices to compose themselves and emerge from the den.

"What are your plans with Lizardpaw today?" Pineshade asked. "Do you want to take him hunting with me and Cricketpaw?"

Frostmask's tail twitched regretfully. Hunting with Pineshade sounded fun, but during their uneventful border patrol around the territory this morning, she'd promised Lizardpaw they'd do battle training after sun-high.

"I think I should do some battle training with him instead," Frostmask meowed. "Sorry."

Pineshade flicked the apology away with a wave of her tail.

"No problem. We can always train together some other time," she said. "Battle training's a good idea."

Pineshade's fur prickled, and her gaze darkened.

"Given the state of the forest, he might need it soon."

* * *

Frostmask watched Lizardpaw intently as she crept around the edge of the Burnt Sycamore's clearing, sticking to the shadows of the pines. It had snowed again a few sunrises ago, and the alternating patches of white snow and dark shadow disguised her pelt well. She could see that Lizardpaw's ears were pricked in alertness from where he stood in the center of the clearing, but he wasn't looking in her direction. Maybe he hadn't noticed her yet. Moving quickly, Frostmask slipped into the clearing, trying to stay outside his field of vision. She headed towards the roots of the Burnt Sycamore, her muscles tensing as she expected to find him streaking towards her and pouncing at any moment.

But, her fore-paws slapped against the roots of the tree, their path there undisturbed. Brow furrowing, Frostmask turned to look at Lizardpaw, and he finally whipped around to see her, several heart-beats too late.

Frostmask's tail twitched. In this training exercise, Lizardpaw was supposed to be guarding the Burnt Sycamore, and when he spotted Frostmask, he should attack her to stop her from getting there. But, in the three rounds that they've tried it, Frostmask had managed to slip past him undetected each time.

Lizardpaw's ears flattened down as he realized he failed again, and he came padding over to Frostmask, his tail trailing in the muddy ground. Frostmask's twitching tail stilled, her annoyance evaporating when she saw how glum he looked.

 _'Let's try some different training,'_ she signed. _'We can spar together.'_

Lizardpaw just nodded and sighed, his blue eyes downcast. Frostmask flicked her tail to motion for him to follow, and she led them away from the base of the Burnt Sycamore and into the more open clearing area. Frostmask turned back to face Lizardpaw, and she stretched out her legs, readying her muscles before she settled into a crouch.

 _'You attack first,'_ she told Lizardpaw.

He nodded again, his shoulders tensing. In a flash, he was lunging at her. Frostmask pirouetted smoothly out of the path of his charge, kicking a paw out as she did so to trip him. Her paw successfully connected with a leg, and Lizardpaw stumbled. He recovered quickly, although not quickly enough. Frostmask was already out of his line of sight, behind him. His head jerked around in confusion as Frostmask pounced on him, forcing him to the ground. After a momentary struggle, he went slack, simply allowing Frostmask to pin him to the earth. Lizardpaw gazed up at her with eyes dull with frustration and disappointment. Frostmask stepped off of him, allowing him to rise and shake the dirt from his pelt.

She tilted her head as she studied him for a moment.

 _'You know better than to so easily let your opponent out of your line of sight,'_ Frostmask commented. _'That was one of the first techniques we practiced.'_

Lizardpaw avoided meeting her eyes. His tail twitched, and he didn't respond to her beyond a curt nod. Frostmask gestured at him to sit, and she did the same, waiting until he finally lifted his eyes from the ground to her.

 _'What's wrong?'_ she asked. _'You haven't been focused on training this whole time.'_

Lizardpaw was still for a few moments, his blue eyes staring into her own. Then his body moved quickly in a sudden question.

_'Am I useless?'_

Frostmask stiffened in shock, giving a hard blink.

 _'Of course not!'_ she responded, her facing screwing up with her vehemence.

Lizardpaw scuffled his paws, his expression unconvinced.

 _'Why would you think that? Has someone said something to you?'_ Frostmask demanded, her mind immediately flying to Dampfang.

Her claws curled out of her paws and sunk deeply into the muddy ground.

_I swear, if Dampfang spoke to Lizardpaw that way, I'll flay him alive!_

But, Lizardpaw shook his head _'No,'_ and Frostmask relaxed, her claws sheathing again.

 _'No one's said anything,'_ Lizardpaw signed. _'It's just… a feeling that I have.'_

 _'But, why would you think that?'_ Frostmask insisted.

Lizardpaw looked away. His paws began to move in signs in response, but he kept his gaze off of Frostmask.

 _'Well it's why you make me do special training right? And, why Sedgestar checks up on me.'_ Lizardpaw's face creased in a frown. _'He doesn't do that to Featherpaw and Yewpaw.'_

Frostmask chewed her lip for a moment as she tried to think of a delicate response. She didn't want to say the wrong thing and risk upsetting Lizardpaw more than he was already upset now. He glanced over at her again, waiting for her answer.

 _'It's true that your training has been a bit different in someways than the other apprentices' training,'_ she signed. _'But, it's been that way, so you're able to compensate for your lack of hearing. It's not because you're weak or useless.'_

 _'As for Sedgestar…'_ Frostmask hesitated.

She knew that Sedgestar checked in on Lizardpaw to privately assess him and make sure he was making good progress with his training. But, she was afraid that if she told Lizardpaw that, he would interpret it as Sedgestar not having faith in him.

 _'He cares about you and wants you to do well,'_ she signed. _'He is your kin after all.'_

 _'He's Yewpaw's and Featherpaw's kin too,'_ Lizardpaw responded, his chin jutting out mutinously. _'It's because he doesn't think I can do it, right?'_

Frostmask winced faintly.

_Snake-dung! That thought was exactly what I was trying to avoid._

_'That's not true,'_ Frostmask insisted.

Frostmask began another sign, but her paws faltered as Lizardpaw's tail lashed, and he jumped to his feet.

 _'I'm never going to be a real warrior, am I?'_ Lizardpaw demanded, his blue eyes blazing with pain. _'Why would Sedgestar ever bring me into a battle when he could take Yewpaw or Featherpaw instead? They're just as good at fighting as me_ ** _and_** _they can hear. So, he won't have to worry about them like they're a helpless kit!'_

Lizardpaw glared at her, his short white pelt prickling around him like it was crackling with electricity. Frostmask was motionless for a few heartbeats as she processed his outburst. But, then her paws began to move in slow signs.

 _'You know that I was born outside of ShadowClan, right?'_ she asked. _'Some cats think that I'll never be a loyal warrior because of it.'_

Her stomach clenched as an image of Sedgestar's cold amber eyes, glaring at her in his den formed in her mind.

Lizardpaw shook his head firmly.

 _'It's not the same,'_ he signed.

His bitter blue gaze flitted over her.

 _'There's nothing wrong with you,'_ he added.

Frostmask sighed softly.

 _'I know it's not the same,'_ she signed. _'But, some cats do think there's something wrong with me. Just on the inside instead of the outside.'_

Frostmask's whiskers twitched in rueful humor. Lizardpaw was still as he gazed at her, waiting for her to continue. Her dark humor evaporated as instead a heavy weight settled in Frostmask's gut. This conversation was swirling up all of her feelings about being a rejected outcast, which had burdened her throughout her life. And, they were made even sharper by the edge of betrayal that she'd felt since the reveal of the secret after the battle. The painful emotions pooled together and then froze into a terrible icicle, its sharp point piercing her heart.

 _'I know that I'll never understand what it's like to be deaf,'_ she signed. _'But, I do understand the feeling that you're different. That you don't belong. That no matter what you do, you'll never be enough.'_

Lizardpaw blinked hard and looked away from her. Frostmask felt a lump forming in the back of her throat as an echo of his emotion rushed through her. But, she shoved her own pain away as she rose to her paws and walked over to him, gently lying her tail over his back. Lizardpaw's muscles were stiff, but he didn't move away from her comforting touch. Frostmask drew his gaze back to her with a brush of her paw against his shoulder.

 _'But, there is still strength in your difference,'_ Frostmask signed. _'You can do things that no other cats in the clan can! You can feel someone's vibrations through the ground as they walk. And, you can pick up even the faintest scent trails. In someways, you are the most useful cat in the clan.'_

 _'…And, in other ways, I'm the most useless,'_ he signed, but there was some dry humor in his expression. _'Like when it comes to listening to birdsongs.'_

Frostmask purred.

 _'Birdsongs are overrated,'_ she said with a dismissive tail-flick. _'They just wake you up in the morning, right after you've gotten to your nest after a long night-hunt.'_

Lizardpaw purred faintly, but there was a thoughtful look in his eyes, his tail twitching as he considered her words.

 _'What about you?'_ he asked after a hesitation. _'What strength do you have from being born outside of ShadowClan?'_

Frostmask swallowed uncertainly, her skin prickling.

_I'm still trying to figure that out._

But, on the outside, she purred, giving his shoulder a gentle bump with her own.

 _'That's a secret,'_ she signed, arching her brows and giving an exaggerated waving of her tail.

Lizardpaw purred again, his gaze narrowing playfully. Frostmask's heart eased some as he returned to his bright-eyed self.

 _'But, I'm your apprentice! Don't I get to know?!'_ he asked.

 _'Only if you beat me this round,'_ Frostmask said, trotting back into the more open part of the clearing and flicking her tail at him to follow. _'We still have more battle training to do.'_

* * *

Lizardpaw's focus had sharpened after their conversation, and Frostmask was pleased by how well he started holding his own against her. Now, they prowled around each other in their final match. Frostmask muscles were aching from their repeated tussling on the ground, but she rolled the soreness from her shoulders, getting ready.

Frostmask leapt at Lizardpaw, and he ducked beneath her, her paws just skimming the ends of his fur. Frostmask landed behind him, and he whirled around quickly to face her, not even allowing her to be out of his sight for a heartbeat. A jolt of pride warmed her chest.

_Good!_

Then Frostmask was dancing backwards as he moved into an attack. Lizardpaw's blue eyes darken with concentration as he aimed a series of unforgiving cuffs at her head with his forepaws.

Impressed with his speed, Frostmask dodged, managing to avoid most of his hits, although one made contact with the side of her muzzle, snapping her head to the side. Frostmask drove the sting of the hit away with a few swift blinks, but she still kept a careful eye on Lizardpaw, watching as his flurry of hits slowed, his stamina flagging as all the tiring training caught up to him. Sensing his weakness, Frostmask surged forward, breaking through his hurried, defensive swipes and tackling him.

The tackle was a risk because Lizardpaw was larger than her and theoretically could overpower her, but Frostmask didn't think he was yet trained enough to know how to use the full power of his strength. She could feel him struggling against her now, but his moves were unfocused, and he wasn't using the motion of their tumble to his advantage. Frostmask on the other paw, harnessed the power of their roll to make up for her lesser strength and size. She moved with it until she rolled back to the top, at which point, she slammed her weight back, jarring the two of them to a stop and shoving Lizardpaw to the earth, pinning him in place.

Panting, Frostmask stepped off of him.

 _'You did well. Especially with that hit,'_ she signed, reaching a paw up to touch her still slightly stinging muzzle.

Lizardpaw's eyes brightened, his tail curling up happily as he scrambled back to his feet.

 _'But, you need to learn how to move with the roll when you're tumbling on the ground,'_ she added.

Frostmask explained to him how to make his body limp, moving with flow of the motion until the exact right moment, when he should tense and stop, ending up pinning his opponent. They practiced it a few more times until she dismissed him from training for the night. The sun had set a little while ago, turning the clearing nearly pitch black, and Frostmask was tired of tripping over the Burnt Sycamore's roots.

As she walked to the edge of the clearing to lead them back to camp, she hesitated when she noticed Lizardpaw wasn't right behind her. She turned back to glance at him questioningly. He padded over to her, his brow furrowed and troubled like it had been earlier in the evening.

 _'Frostmask?'_ Lizardpaw asked, before hesitating, his paws shifting with uncharacteristic nervousness.

She tilted her head at him, gesturing at him to continue. He paused for a moment longer.

 _'What we were talking about earlier… Does that feeling,'_ he asked finally, _'that feeling that you don't belong… Now that you're a warrior, does it get better? Does it go away?'_

Frostmask blinked and touched her flank to his so he could feel the vibrations of the purr that she forced from her chest.

 _'Yes,'_ she lied.

* * *

She and Lizardpaw walked into a quiet camp. Cats were either still out on their evening patrols or in their nests sleeping, so besides Greytail, Darkpelt and Larkfoot, who were sharing a meal and talking quietly near the elders' den, the camp's clearing was deserted.

 _'Get something to eat and get some rest,'_ Frostmask signed to Lizardpaw. _'We'll resume training at dawn.'_

Lizardpaw nodded, his bright pink tongue curling out in a sudden yawn. Frostmask purred and watched him pad off to the fresh-kill pile with a fond gaze. She knew he must be exhausted from all the battle training they did that evening.

Frostmask, however, didn't quite feel like going to her nest yet. The sun set quickly in leaf-bare, so although it was already fully dark out, energy still fueled her body. Her gaze flickered back over to Lizardpaw and the fresh-kill pile, focusing on the dwindling prey supply.

_I could hunt for a while until I get tired. ShadowClan needs the food._

Frostmask's gaze flickered up to the night sky. The stars were clear and bright tonight since the moon was only a thin, curved claw. Frostmask's jaw clenched in sudden anxiety.

It was only a few nights away from the new moon, and she still hadn't figured out if she should meet Paledusk or not. The decision needled her like thorns in her pelt.

Honestly, she _was_ curious to learn more about Paledusk's and May's past, but beyond her personal curiosity, a part of her also felt like she had an obligation to ShadowClan to go to the meeting— any chance she had to get information about SkyClan or RiverClan out of Paledusk, she should take, right? She had already told Sedgestar and Grovepelt about how RiverClan had wanted ShadowClan's herbs, which was something she had found out from Paledusk.

Frostmask frowned slightly to herself.

But, would it even be safe to meet with Paledusk? What if it was some kind of trap or ambush or attack?

Frostmask gave her head a small shake.

_No. That doesn't make sense. If he wanted to hurt me, he'd have done it already— that night when I confronted him on SkyClan territory. I think he's genuine about wanting to speak to me._

But, still, to meet with Paledusk, she'd have to sneak away from camp, which came with the risk of getting caught. Obviously she couldn't get Sedgestar's permission for the meeting because that would mean confessing that she knew Paledusk was her father, and that she'd already seen him once on SkyClan territory. It would only make him more suspicious of her and cause him to further doubt her loyalty.

Her stomach twisted sickeningly. The emotion was even fresher and stronger than usual because of her conversation with Lizardpaw.

She heaved a sigh, her eyes still on the moon. Frostmask couldn't help but feeling like the large, pearly claw was looming over her head, about to come slashing down at any moment in her execution.

"You alright?"

Frostmask blinked, jerked out of her thoughts by the familiar mew. She pulled her gaze off of the moon to see Autumnleap padding over to her. He had just emerged from the warriors' den, judging by the way his fur stuck up in sections, still ruffled from sleep.

She shrugged.

"Yeah. I guess," she meowed. "Just thinking about things."

He yawned widely before half-heartedly reaching a paw up to try to flatten some of his long fur on his shoulder. His ruffled appearance sent a rush of unexpected warmth through her chest, chasing away the chill brought on by her thoughts about Paledusk, Sedgestar, and his betrayal… Just something about his scruffy pelt was strangely endearing.

"Wanna talk about it?" he asked, his jaws twitching as he tried fending back another yawn.

He was unsuccessful and his body was wracked by it, his teeth flashing in the low light.

"I'm alright," she said, her whiskers twitching in faint amusement. "Maybe you should just get back to your nest; you look like you're asleep on your paws. Why'd you come out here anyway?"

Autumnleap squinted thoughtfully as if he wasn't quite sure why he had either.

"Thirsty," he said finally. "I wanted a drink. Then when I was having some water, I saw you looking like you were having a fierce argument with the moon. So, I decided to check on you too."

Frostmask purred lightly.

"Well I appreciate your concern, but I'm fine," she said.

Even though Autumnleap's gaze was still half-lidded with sleep, she saw his eyes flick over her skeptically. She shot a quick glance up to the sky before glancing over at Autumnleap again.

"Although I'm a little bit mad the moon won the fight," she joked, rumbling a brief purr.

Frostmask's heart warmed as she was rewarded with his laugh in response.

Still purring, Autumnleap took a seat next to her, twisting to groom his side and trying to flatten his fur with a bit more vigor this time.

"I was thinking of going for a hunt," Frostmask continued. "I don't feel like heading to my nest yet."

"I'll come with you," Autumnleap said immediately, lifting his head and glancing over at her as sleep was chased from his amber gaze.

Frostmask tilted her head to the side.

"I'd enjoy the company, but I don't want to keep you from your nest," she said.

Autumnleap got to his paws and stretched, yawning for a final time. Then he straightened and gave his pelt a brisk shake.

"But, someone's gotta keep the moon in line!" he purred, his tail twitching playfully. "If it starts another fight, I'll beat it up for you."

Frostmask shook her head with an exasperated purr. But, then she got to her paws without another word and began to walk towards the thorn tunnel, Autumnleap right behind her.

* * *

Frostmask and Autumnleap twined their way through the dark forest. They had managed to snag two mice, but the scarcity of prey sent them scouring across the territory, and they found themselves close to the ThunderClan border, still without anything else to show for it. During their unsuccessful hunt, a deep feeling of melancholy had taken roost in Frostmask's chest, making her quiet and pensive. She sent a long glance across to the still thunderpath and into the territory beyond.

"I'm sure we'll be over there again soon, battling SkyClan," she murmured, her gaze searching the ThunderClan forest.

"Are you nervous about the next battle?" Autumnleap asked, coming to stand at her shoulder.

Frostmask stiffened suddenly, panic stabbing at her.

_Why would he ask that?! Did he find out my father's in SkyClan?_

"No. Of course not," Frostmask responded sharply, drawing away from him. "I'd always fight to defend ShadowClan!"

Autumnleap blinked at her in surprise.

"I know that!" he protested. "All I meant was since you got pretty badly hurt last time. I was just wondering if you were worried…"

He gestured towards where she was still missing fur from the bite wound she'd received on her neck. Frostmask made herself relax, and she gave her head a small, sharp shake, her fur hot with embarrassment.

"Sorry," she mumbled. "I shouldn't've been so defensive…"

"You know that I know you're loyal," he meowed, peering at her in concern.

Frostmask sighed, digging her claws slightly into the ground. Powerful emotions sloshed in her belly, making her feel unsteady on her paws. She was torn between guilt about not telling Autumnleap the truth about Paledusk, and terror that if she did, she'd lose him.

 _Not only is Paledusk SkyClan's deputy, he's also the cat that almost killed Autumnleap._ An insidious thought whispered. _What would he think of me if he knew the truth? Maybe he'd be disgusted by me. Maybe he'd hate me._

Frostmask winced faintly to herself.

"I'm sorry," she repeated, forcing a purr. "I feel like lately, you've just been being nice, and in response, I've just been clawing your whiskers off."

Autumnleap purred quietly, but he was still looking at her with worry.

"It's alright," he said. "I know you've been going through a rough time lately."

Frostmask sighed again.

_That's an understatement._

Autumnleap stared at her for a few moments longer.

"…Anything that you want to talk about?" he asked, breaking the silence between them.

"Not right now," Frostmask said, scuffling her paws on the ground. "Right now I just want to forget about all that stuff."

Autumnleap's amber eyes brightened.

"I can help with that too," he said, flicking his tail against her side playfully and trotting away from the thunderpath. "Come with me."

"Where are we going? What are we doing?" Frostmask asked.

Her voice was uncertain, but her paws weren't as she followed him back deeper into their territory.

"We're going to have fun of course," he said, arching a brow at her as he glanced over his shoulder. "You asked for a distraction: you're going to get one."

Frostmask's whiskers twitched, partly in amusement and partly in confusion.

"How long will this take?" she asked. "We're supposed to be hunting, and I have training with Lizardpaw at dawn—"

Autumnleap gently flicked his tail across her muzzle, silencing her. Frostmask glared at him, and he twitched his tail away, leaving her to swipe auburn hairs from her mouth with her paw.

 _"Hey!"_ she protested.

"I'm sorry," Autumnleap meowed, gazing at her solemnly. "But, I think the Clan will survive if we don't complete our hunt. This is an unsanctioned patrol, after all. And, besides, the first rule of having fun is that you don't think about your future responsibilities. That's for tomorrow-Frostmask to worry about. Not current-Frostmask."

Frostmask arched a brow at him.

"There's rules about having fun?!" she asked indignantly. "I thought part of what makes things fun is that there aren't any rules!"

"The second rule of having fun is that you don't question the rules," Autumnleap said with a purr.

His mockingly serious facade had crumbled, and now his amber gaze shimmered in clear amusement. Frostmask rolled her eyes but purred in response, deciding to just go along with it.

"Alright," she said. "Then what's the third rule, wise-one?"

He twitched his tail mischievously.

"You have to catch me," he said, suddenly sprinting off into the forest.

Frostmask let out an indignant huff at his lack of warning, but she sprung forward after him. Her still-sore muscles from training with Lizardpaw complained as she followed his dark shadow, but she pressed through the ache.

Panting, Frostmask closed the distance between them in a few more strides, a sudden surge of playful energy in her chest giving her the speed to catch up. Letting out a victorious yowl, she pounced in a clumsy tackle. The two of them went tumbling across the cold ground, rolling through a patch of snow. When they finally came to a stop, Frostmask stumbled back to her paws with a shiver.

"It's too cold to be rolling around on the ground!" she gasped, shaking the dampness from her pelt.

She prodded Autumnleap's side with her paw as he got back to his paws, purring.

"Besides, what sort of rule is 'you have to catch me?'" she said, narrowing her eyes teasingly. "I'm starting to think you're making these all up on the spot."

Autumnleap scoffed offendedly.

"Would you please refer back to rule number two: 'do not question the rules,'" he said in his best pompous voice, sticking his muzzle up in the air.

But, then he squeaked in a very undignified way when Frostmask sent a pawful of snow flying into his face. Frostmask tried to stifle her loud purrs of amusement at the look of shock in Autumnleap's gaze as his quickly rubbed the snow from his muzzle, blinking his eyes hard. As his surprise faded, his eyes narrowed in playful outrage.

"Oh _now_ you've asked for it," Autumnleap growled in a mock threat, crouching down.

Paws sliding on the slick ground, Frostmask tried to scramble away from him, but Autumnleap lunged forward with surprising speed. He grabbed her with his paws and they tumbled, white powder kicking up behind them again.

They hadn't play-fought like this in moons, and Frostmask was caught off guard by Autumnleap's strength. He easily muscled her into the snow, although she noticed his movements were all carefully measured as to not hurt her. Autumnleap pinned her on her back, his gaze glinting deviously as he shifted his weight onto three paws, keeping her in place but freeing one paw to scoop snow onto her. Frostmask squeaked in protest then gasped as the cold from the snow he piled on her wormed its way through her belly fur.

"I win!" Autumnleap declared, his tail waving in victory.

He held up another pawful of snow, hovering it over her face threateningly.

"Surrender, and I'll be merciful!" he growled.

"Never!" Frostmask spat with mock fury, pressing her fore-paws against his white-furred chest.

As Autumnleap went to dump the snow on her, Frostmask buckled, wiggling away from him. She managed to flip over and avoid the snow to her face, but before she could properly get back to her paws, Autumnleap pounced on her, grabbing her scruff in his jaws to keep her from escaping.

Struck with a sudden idea, Frostmask yelped as if he'd hurt her with the nip, and she felt him immediately release her.

"Are you oka—"

Frostmask whipped around towards him, purring and pawing up snow towards his face before he could finish his sentence.

"Hey!" Autumnleap gasped, recoiling and swiping the snow out of his eyes again. "That was a dirty trick! I thought I hurt you."

"'Dirty?'" Frostmask echoed, her gaze shimmering mischievously. "Instead of insulting me, shouldn't you be praising me for using my opponent's weakness against him?"

Autumnleap narrowed his eyes and pounced at her without replying, but she jumped away before he could catch her this time. Then she flashed forward again, raining feather-soft swats against his now very damp face with her fore-paws. Autumnleap rumbled a playful growl, snapping at her paws, but seemed to be missing them deliberately.

Frostmask drew away from him, and the two began to circle each other warily, waiting for the other to strike.

"We were apprentices the last time we wrestled like this," Frostmask said, wistfulness creeping into her voice as she was reminded of the simpler time.

"At least now we no longer have Beeclaw and Swoopstrike growling at us to 'be serious' and 'pay attention,'" Autumnleap said, putting on a deeper voice to mimic their old mentors.

Frostmask purred, a bittersweet swirl of grief and fondness settling over her as she thought of Swoopstrike.

"I don't recall Beeclaw doing much growling," she said.

"Well Swoopstrike did enough growling for the both of them," Autumnleap said with a purr.

But, he stilled, stopping their play-fighting so he could gaze at her. The concern was obvious in his eyes as he tried to judge if talking about Swoopstrike was too painful for her to handle. Frostmask sighed softly and sat down on the cold snow, wrapping her tail tightly around her paws as the chill from her wet pelt finally caught up to her again.

"Poolcloud's worried about Fogfur," Frostmask murmured. "He's really sick."

"I know," Autumnleap said, his gaze sympathetic.

She stared down at her paws.

"So much has changed since we were apprentices," she said, unable to hide the pain in her voice.

Autumnleap padded over to her, sitting by her side.

"…At least we still have each other," he meowed gently.

She glanced back over at him.

"And, Poolcloud and Pineshade," Autumnleap added as if an afterthought.

Frostmask huffed, giving her head a small shake.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Well, when you mentioned Pineshade, it reminded me how we didn't have the best relationship as apprentices," she said drily. "Maybe I'm looking back at the past too fondly."

She stared out into the dark forest.

"It all just feels so long ago now," Frostmask said, and Autumnleap murmured an agreement.

Frostmask sighed softly, losing herself in her thoughts and her memories. Sometimes she felt like an entirely different cat than she was as a young apprentice.

In some ways it was good: when she had just started her apprenticeship, could she have ever imagined being able to stand up to Dampfang like she could now? But, in others…

Frostmask unsheathed her claws, digging them into the snow under her.

_Half SkyClan._

She stared down at her paws, her shoulders tensing.

_I never would've guessed that as an apprentice._

Frostmask clenched her jaw.

How did she, a daughter of a SkyClan cat and a rogue, end up in ShadowClan of all places? And, why couldn't her Clan be as loyal and devoted to her as she was to it? It wasn't like she could control her blood. Or the fact that May had brought her here, and Sedgestar had allowed her to stay. All she could control was who she was today… and she was a ShadowClan cat.

Her claws glinted faintly in the low light, calling her attention to them and away from her thoughts. She lifted one paw up off the ground to study them. For the first time, she noticed how long and curved her claws were— much longer than the claws that she'd seen on her clan-mates.

A fragment of a memory flashed in her mind.

Long, curved claws just like her own, stained red with blood as they raked down Autumnleap's belly.

Her gaze flickered over to Autumnleap's underside, and she caught a glimpse of the scar Paledusk left there.

Her pelt prickling with horror, Frostmask shuddered, quickly putting her claws away.

"What's wrong?" Autumnleap asked, making her jump again.

"Nothing," she said, too quickly.

Autumnleap gazed at her, his eyes narrowing slightly. Frostmask's stomach clenched.

"I was just thinking about why we're here," Frostmask meowed, hoping to distract him.

He cocked his head to the side, his brow furrowing in confusion.

"What to you mean? Here in the woods? We were hunting," he said.

"No. Not that," Frostmask said, giving her head a small shake. "Like, why are we in ShadowClan? Why were you born here and not somewhere else; why did my mom choose to take me here… Things like that. Do you ever think about those things?"

Autumnleap was silent for several heartbeats.

"…No," he finally admitted.

He shot her a sheepish look.

"Do you think I'm stupid for not?" he asked.

"No!" Frostmask said, gently bumping his shoulder with hers. "Of course not. If anything, it's stupid for _me_ to think about. Wondering about it doesn't help or change anything, right?"

Autumnleap nodded, his mouth opening like he was about to say something, but then he sneezed suddenly instead. Frostmask shot him a sharp look as he pawed at his muzzle.

"I just got some snow in my nose," he reassured, seeing her expression. "I don't feel like I'm getting sick."

Frostmask nodded, her concern fading slightly.

"Even so, we should probably fetch our prey and get back to camp," she meowed. "Or, we'll both catch a chill with our wet pelts."

Autumnleap nodded. As they both stood, Frostmask flicked a clump of snow off of his shoulder with a sweep of her tail, and Autumnleap purred a thanks. Then his eyes met hers, and Frostmask froze, suddenly finding herself trapped beneath his gaze.

The warmth in his eyes was almost enough to chase the cold from her pelt. Frostmask swallowed hard as her heartbeat picked up like the drumming feet of a rabbit. She finally broke the connection of their gazes, glancing down at her paws, but her racing heart didn't slow.

"You know," she mumbled. "I think I'll never know why exactly I ended up in ShadowClan, but I'm really glad I did… so I was able to meet you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for the 50 kudos and 1000 views!!!! :) It means a lot!


	36. Exchanges

_What am I doing._

The thought reverberated in Frostmask's head in time with her pawsteps as she trotted through the forest. It was so pitch black out, she had trouble not tripping over roots as she navigated around the pines. As if being a moonless night wasn’t enough, the sky was also overcast, so the clouds blotted out even the little light the stars would’ve provided.

 _A bad omen?_ Frostmask fretted, casting a quick glance upwards.

She didn’t have enough knowledge of StarClan to know for sure, but it seemed ominous nevertheless.

_Maybe I am totally frog-brained._

Still, it felt too late to turn back now; she was already approaching the thunderpath. Leaving camp had been simple enough. She’d just made sure Autumnleap was soundly sleeping, so he wouldn’t invite himself to come along into the forest with her, and walked past Murmurstep, the camp guard, with a friendly nod. Frostmask supposed in that way, she was lucky to be in ShadowClan— no one would think of questioning a cat who wanted to leave camp alone at night. Once she headed into the woods, she’d disguised her scent and headed straight in the direction of Fourtrees. Hopefully she’d be able to catch some prey on her way back to explain her absence, but if she didn’t have the time, she could just say that the hunting was poor.

Frostmask hesitated at the edge of the thunderpath, casting a nervous glance from side to side. She couldn’t see any monsters prowling around, but her heart still hammered with apprehension. She’d never crossed the thunderpath alone before. She had debated taking the tunnel instead, but Sedgestar still had the Clan keeping a careful watch on it, now that they knew SkyClan was aware of it… If she took the tunnel tonight, she might leave some sort of trace on it that her clan-mates would find, and she wasn’t taking any risks.

Frostmask took a deep breath then plunged forward, her paws flying across the flat black stone. She shot into the bushes on the other side, coming to a stumbling, panting stop. No monsters had appeared, but her muscles were still trembling.

She waited by the thunderpath’s edge until she was able to compose herself. The last thing she wanted was Paledusk seeing herfrightened and disheveled. Frostmask twisted her head to rasp her tongue down her side to smooth her ruffled pelt.

 _I can’t let Paledusk see any weaknesses. About myself or about ShadowClan._ She reminded herself. _I’m here to gather information about him, SkyClan, and May. But, I can’t forget he’s the enemy. He killed Swoopstrike and attacked Autumnleap._

Frostmask’s claws slid out and a soft growl rumbled in her throat at the thought. She forced her claws away and gave her head a small shake.

_But, I shouldn’t be overtly aggressive. Or, else he might not tell me anything…_

Once Frostmask was confident that she was calm, she began to prowl forward, towards the Fourtrees’ hollow. She approached silently, crouching at the top of the hill and scanning the clearing below. Even in the near-total darkness, she could make out the lone white figure sitting near the base of the Great Rock. Frostmask’s stomach clenched as her gaze settled on him. A part of her couldn’t believe that Paledusk actually came.

 _A part of me can’t believe that_ **_I_ ** _actually came here either._

Frostmask slipped down the side of the hill, silently entering in the undergrowth that surrounded the clearing. She began to circle Fourtrees, every sense straining to make sure Paledusk was actually alone. But, as she crept through the bushes, she could detect no hint of any other cat. Once she made a full circuit around the hollow, Frostmask hesitated, gazing out at Paledusk in the clearing. He hadn’t seemed to have noticed her yet; he seemed too busy gazing up at the top of the Great Rock as if he was raptly watching an invisible leader deliver their announcements. Frostmask studied him closely. He looked as he usually did— his white pelt immaculately groomed, smooth and unblemished besides the two scars on his face. There was the old crescent moon one on his cheek, and the new one slashing diagonally across his forehead and near his eye. Swoopstrike’s scar. What had once been red and raw had already faded in the past few moons to just a thin furrow in Paledusk’s fur.

 _This is my last chance to go back._ Frostmask reminded herself.

But, her paws were already creeping forward into the clearing. Paledusk’s ears didn’t even twitch in her direction as she crept up on him, coming to a stop a mere fox-length away.

“Hello,” Frostmask murmured.

Paledusk jerked, his green eyes going wide as he glanced over at her. But, the shock in his gaze quickly faded as he rumbled a brief purr.

“Frostmask! I didn’t even notice you approach,” he said, dipping his head to her. “But, I’m glad to see you decided to come.”

Frostmask just nodded at him, her pelt prickling uncomfortably. Paledusk however, didn’t seem to share any of her discomfort. His body was relaxed as he blinked at her.

“How are you doing?” he meowed. “I hope this cold hasn’t chased away all of ShadowClan’s prey.”

Paledusk flexed his claws.

“The squirrels in our territory have taken to their nests, and it feels like all of the birds have migrated south for the winter,” he said with a rueful purr.

Guilt flashed in Frostmask’s chest. Prey in ShadowClan was hard to find. Why was she wasting time talking to this SkyClan cat when she could be hunting for her Clan?

Frostmask gave her head an almost imperceptible shake as she did her best to push the feeling away, not wanting Paledusk to read it on her face.

“Prey is still running despite typical leaf-bare difficulties,” she said vaguely.

She’d knew she’d rather pull out her own whiskers than admit to Paledusk that ShadowClan was having trouble finding enough food.

Paledusk nodded.

“Of course,” he meowed, before pausing for a moment. “…Well do you have an answer for me?”

Frostmask’s ears pricked.

“An answer?” she echoed.

“To my proposal at the gathering. That we should be friends,” he said, blinking at her.

Frostmask’s pelt bristled warily.

“I don’t know about ‘friends,’” she said slowly. “‘Friends’ implies that I trust you… and that I like you.”

Paledusk gave a bitter chuckle.

“Alright,” he conceded. “You’re right that trust and affection needs to be earned. Maybe ‘friends’ is too strong of a word then, for the moment. Allies, perhaps?”

Frostmask’s tail twitched with indecision. Paledusk reclined back slightly.

“At the very least, are you open to getting to know each other?” he asked. “So we can at least see if those things are possibilities?”

“Yes,” Frostmask said with a nod.

Paledusk purred.

“I’m glad to hear that. So, tell me about your life in ShadowClan,” Paledusk said, his eyes bright with interest. “I remember seeing you with some apprentices last gathering. Are one of them yours?”

“Yes,” Frostmask muttered again. “Lizardpaw.”

Paledusk nodded.

“You haven’t been a warrior long; it’s a honor to be given an apprentice so early. Sedgestar must think highly of you,” he said.

Frostmask shifted her paws and didn’t respond beyond a nod. Another thing she definitely didn’t want to tell Paledusk about was Sedgestar’s betrayal.

“What other cats do you spend time with?” Paledusk asked curiously.

“Autumnleap is my best friend,” Frostmask murmured.

Paledusk tilted his head to the side like he was trying to place the name.

“Autumnleap…” he repeated thoughtfully.

“He’s a dark ginger cat with a white belly,” she meowed as her eyes narrowed, a brief growl rumbling in her throat. “You’ve met him before.”

Paledusk gazed out into the forest, still lost in his thoughts. It took a moment before realization sparked in his eyes.

Their gazes met. Paledusk’s expression was calm.

“He was at the battle in SkyClan’s camp, wasn’t he?” Paledusk meowed.

“Yes,” Frostmask said, her voice dangerously soft. “You almost killed him.”

Paledusk blinked.

“Then you were there too,” he said.

She nodded tensely.

“I saw you attack him,” she growled. “And, I saw Swoopstrike stop you.”

Her jaw clenched in pain.

“Swoopstrike was my mentor. And, you killed him,” she rasped, unsheathing her claws to sink them into the ground.

Her tail began to lash, and the growl rumbled louder in her throat.

There was a part of her mind that said that she was getting too worked up. That this wasn’t the plan. That she was supposed to stay calm. But, those thoughts were mere whispers, lost in the roar of her blood pounding in her ears.

Paledusk stared at her, as unmoving as if he was carved from stone.

“I’m sorry,” he meowed. “I didn’t know.”

 _“‘Sorry?!’”_ Frostmask echoed incredulously, letting out a strangled bark of humorless laughter. “You killed Swoopstrike and tried to kill Autumnleap, and all you can say is you’re sorry?!”

Paledusk’s gaze darkened slightly.

“I was defending my home,” he said, a quiet growl creeping into his voice. “You just experienced a similar attack, surely you understand the feeling of desperation that sort of invasion causes. Drastic actions must sometimes be taken.”

Frostmask snarled in response.

“You could’ve just badly injured him!” she growled. "You didn’t _have_ to kill him!”

“I know,” Paledusk said in a low voice.

Frostmask’s stomach clenched. Somehow that admission was worse than any sort of pathetic-excused denial. She arched her back, her fangs bared.

“Then why did you do it?” she demanded hoarsely.

Paledusk’s green gaze was steady as he stared at her.

“Because in that moment, I was filled with a terrible pain and anger,” he said. “I was enraged that my clan-mates were in danger, that SkyClan was under siege by two Clans. I was filled with a sense of injustice, and I wanted to make someone pay for it… I presume it’s the same reason that you came to SkyClan territory to kill me.”

Frostmask jerked, suddenly snapped out of her righteous rage and put off balance. She took a step back from Paledusk as icy dread ran down her spine.

“What?” she croaked, her ears flattening. “What are you talking—“

Paledusk shook his head, cutting her off.

“You don’t have to lie to me, Frostmask,” he meowed. “I’m not angry. You were hurting. I understand.”

“But, I didn’t—“ Frostmask protested.

“But, you did,” Paledusk said, tilting his head.

His expression was both partly amused by Frostmask’s denial, but also seemingly confused by it.

“Why else would you’ve confronted me then?” he said. “I was in a remote area of the territory and alone. If you just wanted to talk to me, you could’ve done that at a gathering, which would’ve been a much less risky prospect for you. The other clue: I didn’t hear you until you were in the trees right behind me. It’s strange that I heard you then, when tonight you snuck up on me so easily. You must have let me hear you on purpose, but only after you’d already reached me… Why? The only explanation I can think of is that you stalked me silently at first, with an intent to harm me, but had a sudden change of heart.”

Frostmask blinked, caught somewhere between horror and respect for his sharp observations.

“… _If_ that’s all true,” Frostmask meowed, grateful that her voice came out steady despite the fact her head was spinning. “Then why aren’t you afraid I’m going to hurt you now?”

“Excellent question,” Paledusk said with a small purr. “Because that night, your emotions towards me were at their most intense. You had the location and the motive for a perfect kill-shot, and you didn’t take it.”

Frostmask clenched her jaw, realizing she just had a similar thought about Paledusk a few days ago, when she was worrying about if it was safe to meet him.

Her stomach flipped.

Frostmask gazed at Paledusk, silence falling between them. It was like she was somehow staring at a stranger and at her shadow at the same time. Uncannily familiar. She knew neither of them knew what this tentative bond between them would bring, but it seemed they were both willing to acknowledge one thing— they had missed their kill-shots.

“You have every right to still be angry with me for taking away someone close to you,” Paledusk said, finally breaking the silence. “Just know that my actions didn’t have malicious intent towards you. It was not meant to hurt you.”

“That doesn’t make the hurt any less,” Frostmask growled, her fur still prickling.

“I know,” Paledusk said with a nod. “I just ask that you keep an open mind going forward and try not to think the worst of me.”

A hint of humor flashed in his eyes, making a crack in his serious demeanor.

“And, in return, I will do the same for you. Instead of spending each night with one eye open as I sleep,” he said.

His tone was light and teasing, but Frostmask still felt shame prick at her paws. Did she really have any right to hold a massive grudge against Paledusk when she was the one that crept onto his territory with the intention to murder him in cold-blood? At least Paledusk had struck Swoopstrike and Autumnleap down nobly in the heat of battle…

“It’s a shame we don’t live in a more peaceful era,” Paledusk continued after a beat of silence. “It would’ve made things easier for us.”

“Is there such thing as a peaceful era?” Frostmask asked. “It seems like to me that SkyClan and ThunderClan are always fighting.”

Paledusk stiffened slightly, and Frostmask felt her muscles tense in response. Maybe she had overstepped. She wasn’t used to the delicate politics dealing with cats of other Clans required. But, then Paledusk flicked his tail and relaxed, letting out a quiet chuckle.

“You wouldn’t be wrong,” he meowed.

“Why is that?” Frostmask asked, emboldened by his response.

Paledusk settled down into a more comfortable crouch.

“It’s a long story,” he said. “ThunderClan and SkyClan have always had a rivalry. Some say it even goes back to the original leaders— Skystar and Thunderstar. They were kin you know; father and son.”

Frostmask’s eyes widened in surprise.

“A father and son ended up in separate clans? And, became their leaders?” she asked.

Paledusk nodded with a wry twitch of his whiskers.

“See, the situation you and I are in isn’t actually that strange or uncommon,” he meowed, arching a brow at her. “Although Thunderstar and Skystar hardly saw eye-to-eye.”

A dry purr of amusement rumbled deep in his throat as if he was laughing at his own private joke. Frostmask blinked, wondering if he was laughing at something he knew about Skystar and Thunderstar that she didn’t, or if he was still thinking about her and his relationship.

“Anyway, the particular feud which plagues SkyClan and ThunderClan today is much more recent than Skystar and Thunderstar. Some seasons ago, the leader of SkyClan before Fennelstar was a cat named Darkstar,” Paledusk continued. “Darkstar was a formidable warrior when he was younger leader, but as he aged and came towards the end of his nine lives... he began to lose his senses.”

Paledusk’s gaze darkened slightly, as if those words struck deeper than he was letting on.

_Maybe he’s thinking about Birdstrike..._

“At one gathering near the end of his ninth life, Darkstar decided to give away a chunk of SkyClan territory to ThunderClan. At the time, it would’ve been about one fourth of our total land...”

Frostmask inhaled sharply, her ears jutting up in shock.

_One fourth?! That’d be like if Sedgestar decided to give WindClan all of our territory between the marsh and the edge of the moor!_

Paledusk nodded grimly, his tail lashing behind him as anger smoldered in his eyes.

“So you see, the reason we’re at war with ThunderClan is because we are just trying to right a wrong of the past. SkyClan has already suffered for seasons because of the foolishness of one leader. Should we be doomed to suffer for generations more?” he said, a growl drifting into his voice.

Frostmask’s ears flattened against her head as doubt nipped at her.

_Is this really the truth? Or just something Paledusk and SkyClan made up to bolster their claim?_

“No one in ThunderClan has ever mentioned that story to me,” she muttered, but she didn’t dare voice all her doubts.

Scoffing, Paledusk tossed his head.

“Why would they?” he asked, his gaze sharp. “Do you know why Darkstar made his decision? ThunderClan had just had several litters of kits born, and they claimed they needed more hunting grounds to feed them. Darkstar said that the clans should help each other out in their times of need, so he gave away our land.”

Paledusk’s gaze narrowed, his tail lashing even more violently as he stared out into the trees in the direction of ThunderClan territory.

“But, will ThunderClan repay the favor? Of course not. Now when SkyClan needs the territory back, Morningstar and ThunderClan turn a blind-eye to our troubles and act like they’re the victims. They’re a Clan of fox-hearted hypocrites,” he spat.

Frostmask was quiet, watching Paledusk warily. After a long, tense moment, Paledusk’s fur flattened as he tried to compose himself. He glanced back over at Frostmask with a more measured gaze.

“But, I understand if you don’t trust the story,” he said, giving a bitter twitch of his tail. “I’m from an enemy clan, after all. Still, I promise every word is the truth. Ask your elders about Darkstar. They will tell you the same thing I have. It happened before I was born, but from what I’ve heard, it was quite the memorial gathering. I’m sure that they haven’t forgotten.”

Frostmask cocked her head to the side.

“And, how does RiverClan tie into all this?” she asked. “Do they also have a bone to pick with ThunderClan? You didn’t seem too fond of them last time we talked. I believe the term you used was ‘slimy eel-hearts.’”

Paledusk chuckled and relaxed back, at ease again after his outburst about ThunderClan faded.

“There’s no feud that I know of there,” he meowed. “But, the one thing you need to understand about Willowstar is that she’s as opportunistic as a fox. You might think that she’s not aggressive. That she likes to keep RiverClan to themselves. But, at the first scent of blood in the air—“

Paledusk slammed one of his big paws against the ground, making Frostmask jump at the loud _thump._

“—she’s on it like that,” he continued. “If it suits RiverClan, that is. That’s how RiverClan ended up entwined here with the rest of us.”

He dipped his head to Frostmask briefly and continued in a softer voice.

“Although I’m sorry ShadowClan has gotten tangled up in this mess too. Unfortunately, in Fennelstar’s eyes, you’ve allied yourselves with our enemy.” Paledusk’s green eyes brightened, gleaming in the low light. “Although alliances can always shift…”

The fur on the back of her neck stiffened. Frostmask glanced away from him, breaking eye contact as she pretended not to hear the insinuation in his words.

_I’m here to gather information and to learn about my mother. I have no authority to make new alliances and Paledusk has no right to ask me to do so… No matter how legitimate SkyClan’s claim is or not._

“It must be difficult for ThunderClan to give away the territory they’ve used for seasons though,” she pointed out mildly, trying to steer the conversation away from ShadowClan. “Several generations now have grown up thinking it’s theirs.”

Paledusk shook his head derisively.

“That way of thinking is exactly the problem with Clan cats,” he said. “They are so traditionalist. Stuck in their ways.”

He gave a soft growl.

“It’s the thing that’s always frustrated me about the Clan way of life. They are so unwilling to accept change. To think outside their narrow framework. So quick to distrust or dislike any cat even a tiny bit different than themselves.”

Frostmask’s ears pricked in surprise and interest. She’d never would’ve guessed that the stern SkyClan deputy had such relatively radical ideals.

_Well I guess he did take a mate outside of his Clan… So, maybe I shouldn’t be too surprised that he’s not afraid to challenge the code._

Paledusk glanced at her, noting her expression of interest, and he continued.

“SkyClan is the only clan who’s territory borders the two-leg place,” he said. “So that means we have the most contact with cats who live outside of the Clans.”

His bright green eyes lost focus for a moment; their intensity dimming as he drifted into a memory.

“That’s how I met May,” he murmured.

He blinked, and his gaze sharpened again.

“You think that having this contact with other cats might make SkyClan more tolerate to outsiders, but the opposite it true. Instead, they hate them more intensely because they view them as bigger threats. Rogues lurking at the border, greedy to snatch up our land.”

He shook his head.

“But, they give no thought to the fact that these cats could help us. They could be potential allies or clan-mates even. Bolstering the clan instead of tearing it down.”

Frostmask’s brow furrowed. Since ShadowClan had never had problems with rogues in her life-time, she’d never thought much about cats outside of the clans as being threats or allies, beyond her own predicament as a daughter of a rogue of course. But, it was clearly something Paledusk had contemplated for a long time, and she could see the wisdom in his words.

“…Is that what you wanted with May?” she asked hesitantly. “For SkyClan to accept your relationship?”

“Of course,” Paledusk said, glancing over at her. “But, SkyClan is too blinded with prejudice. They wouldn’t change their mind, and I had to choose between them and her.”

Frostmask dipped her head, a weird feeling of disappointment tugging at her belly.

_I guess a part of me hoped not all Clans were like ShadowClan towards outsiders._

“What about ShadowClan?” Paledusk asked, seemingly echoing her thoughts. “How did they react when they found out I’m your father?”

“They… don’t know,” Frostmask murmured. “A pawful of cats know my father was a SkyClan tom. But, only I know it’s you.”

“You haven’t told anyone?” Paledusk asked in a soft, sympathetic voice.

Frostmask glanced at him sharply.

“Have you told anyone about me?” she shot back.

Paledusk hesitated a moment.

“No,” he meowed finally. “I’m worried about how my clan-mates would react.”

Frostmask sighed and stared down at her paws.

“Me too,” she murmured. “I think it’ll just make them distrust me more.”

“This is what I mean about the Clans!” Paledusk said. “You joined ShadowClan so young; you’re practically ShadowClan born. And, yet they still whisper doubts about your heritage. Such senseless bigotry.”

He scoffed, shaking his head.

“They waste your potential and leave you on shaky footing, worried that if you take one misstep they’d be at your throat like the fox-hearts they are,” he growled.

Frostmask dug her claws into the ground as Paledusk’s words triggered a rush of anxiety— the memory of Sedgestar snarling accusations at her in his den flashing in her mind. But, in combination with the anxiety, Frostmask felt an odd sense of relief.

Somehow, _Paledusk,_ of all cats, seemed to understand her position in a way that none of her clan-mates had before. How could that be? Maybe his distance from ShadowClan gave him a clarity that her clan-mates did not have? Or did he just have more empathy for her situation because he had been mates with a cat outside of the Clans, so understood what it must feel like for her?

Frostmask blinked as another realization struck her.

Maybe it was good that Paledusk, a SkyClan cat, was the one that understood her situation best. She could talk openly with him about her problems without having to worry that he would think she was disloyal to ShadowClan… because he wasn’t even _in_ ShadowClan. She also didn’t have to worry about him telling her concerns to any cat, ShadowClan, SkyClan, or otherwise, because in doing so he’d have to admit to meeting her and that she was his daughter, both things that she knew he did not want to do.

“…All my life I’ve tried my hardest to show them that I’m a loyal ShadowClan warrior,” Frostmask said with a quiet growl. “But, it was never good enough for them.”

Paledusk gazed at her sympathetically.

“You can’t prove yourself to them because their fear of you isn’t _rational,”_ he said. “You cannot fight irrationality with logic.”

Frostmask dug her claws into the ground.

“So I just have to accept that this is how it is?” she said, clenching her teeth. “That I have to live this way forever?”

Paledusk flicked his tail towards her. He hesitated a moment before laying it against her shoulder in the faintest feather-touch. Frostmask tensed but didn’t move away.

“That’s a part of the tragedy,” he said. “The clans are so stuck in their ways that forcing them make the tiniest bit of change takes as much effort as moving a mountain.”

He pulled his tail away, curling it back around his paws as he gazed out at the dark forest. Frostmask was silent for a few moments, contemplating his words.

“…Then I do just have to accept it,” she said in a low voice. “No matter how terrible or ridiculous.”

“You remind me of my brother,” Paledusk said suddenly, making Frostmask’s ears prick in surprise.

“Slatewhisker?” she asked.

Now it was Paledusk’s ears which pricked in shock.

“How do you know his name?” he asked, glancing down at her.

Frostmask shrugged, her fur heating under the sharpness of his eyes. She didn’t want to tell him about her little investigation about him and May before she pieced together the full truth. After all, she still didn’t _really_ trust Paledusk. These philosophical musing with him seemed harmless enough, but she’d seen the intensity of his anger, and she wasn’t sure if he would like knowing that she had been sniffing around.

“I’ve heard rumors about him before,” Frostmask said, semi-truthfully. “Some cats say that he ran off into the two-leg place to become a kitty-pet.”

 _“Lies,”_ Paledusk hissed, digging his claws into the ground for a moment as the fur on his shoulders prickled.

After a heartbeat though, he forced his pelt flat again.

“Sorry,” he said in a more even tone, although his voice was still tight with anger. “Slatewhisker and I were very close, and it enrages me to hear cats sullying his legacy with these rumors. Believing that my brother would give up his freedom to live with _two-legs.”_

Paledusk shook his head in disgust. Frostmask tilted her head to the side.

“Why do I remind you of him?” she asked.

Paledusk’s green eyes brightened as he was pulled out of the unpleasant thoughts.

“Slatewhisker was always an idealist,” he said. “Seasons ago, SkyClan was having trouble with a group of rogues who lived in the two-leg place. He wanted there to be peace between the two groups.”

Paledusk shook his head.

“Tragically though that was why he died,” he said. “Against Fennelstar’s wishes, he went on a diplomatic mission into the two-leg place speak to the rogues. But a fight broke out between them, and he was killed.”

Frostmask’s brow furrowed.

“If he died though, then why do cats think he ran off?” she asked.

Paledusk’s brow furrowed, his tail beginning to twitch.

“His body was never recovered,” he explained. “A dog or a two-leg got to him before we could.”

Paledusk’s gaze darkened.

“But, I know he died,” he said in a low voice. “You see, I went after him when I noticed that he had left camp. I was worried he’d gone off to do something impulsive and bird-brained… and unfortunately I was right. I found him, but not in time. I saw him get struck down by the rogues. I tried to save him, but I was out-numbered. The rogues chased me off, and by the time I got back, his body was gone.”

He shook his head suddenly as if to dislodge the dark memories. He glanced at Frostmask, his green gaze serious.

“I know I haven’t regained enough respect or am worthy yet to give you any advice,” he said. “But, I don’t want you to suffer the same fate as my brother. Ideals are good, but one must also acknowledge the bounds of reality. It’s usually best not to create waves…”

Frostmask’s tail began to twitch. She wasn’t sure if she like how intently Paledusk was looking at her.

“Right…” she muttered, hoping that answer would satiate him.

It seemed to work because good humor returned to Paledusk’s eyes.

“You’re a smart cat, though,” he said. “I probably don’t even need to be telling you such things, since you’ve had to take care of yourself for so long. You know better than to do anything rash— you’re a survivor. Like your mother.”

Curiosity pricked through Frostmask. She wanted to ask Paledusk more about May. She wanted to find out more about what she was like. How they met. Why they got together.

But, then Paledusk got to his paws before she could even open her mouth to ask.

“I should probably head back to my camp before I’m missed, and I’m sure you need to do the same,” Paledusk said. “I hope I see you at the next gathering, but if not, I will be here again on the next new-moon if you wish to meet again.”

Impatience and frustration nipped at Frostmask. She didn’t want to risk meeting him again or trying to covertly speak to him at the next gathering. But, this meeting and the small, tantalizing bits of information she’d gotten from him about her mother only made her desire to know more about May and Paledusk stronger.

Frostmask cast a quick glance up towards the sky. She couldn’t see any sign of dawn yet, but she knew that Paledusk was right about the night wearing on. She gave a small sigh of acceptance and rose to her paws.

“You’re right,” she meowed. “Goodbye.”

Paledusk dipped his head to her.

“Goodbye. It was a pleasure talking to you, Frostmask.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew, the fic has officially broken 200K words! When I started this, I didn't intend for it to get as long as it has, but sometimes you've gotta just let the story take you where it takes you. (And also I'm way too wordy lol)
> 
> Thank you all for reading and especially to those who've left comments and kudos! :)
> 
> I'd love to hear anyone's thoughts about Paledusk! He's been so distant/mysterious thus far, I'm excited that we've finally reached a point in the fic where I can start peeling back some of his layers!


	37. Uneasy Encounters

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! I’ve got a bit of a story update for you all. 
> 
> Firstly, sorry that this chapter took so long to get out :/ With the holidays upon us, I’ve been busy, and it’s been hard for me to find the time or motivation to write. Unfortunately, I don’t think that I’ll be able to get another chapter out this month, so I want to wish you all happy holidays!
> 
> My other piece of news is that during this past month, I’ve also been able to fully hammer out the outline for the remainder of this fic. So, I normally like to write with having big plot points in mind, like X happens, then Y, then Z, while still leaving room for new ideas to appear and grow naturally during the writing process. However, when it comes to endings, I think it helps me to be more careful with my planning, so there aren’t any loose threads left hanging by the conclusion. That all said, that means that I have a detailed outline for every remaining chapter in this fic. There are 20 chapters left (which strangely, both feels like a lot, since this fic has already gone on longer than my initial idea for it, but it also feels like not that many when I see it all laid out in front of me lol.) My goal is to have this fic finished by the end of next year, which might be ambitious, but I hope I can stick to it! See you all in 2021!

Frostmask padded back into camp, a measly shrew clutched in her jaws. It had been all she’d managed to find on her way back to camp after meeting with Paledusk. She wished she’d been able to catch more prey, but the sky had started lightening, and she knew she should be back at camp before sunrise or she’d definitely be missed when Grovepelt organized patrols for the day.

As she ducked under the thorn barrier, her paws were tired from roaming the forest all night, but her still mind buzzed from her conversation with Paledusk.

_He seemed different this time. More open and less abrasive. Charming almost. I know he’s still got a temper, but maybe he’s actually friendlier than I thought. Maybe he does just want to get to know me._

Her ears flicked as her mind shifted to what Paledusk told her about Slatewhisker.

_That must have been terrible. Maybe missing his brother is what makes Paledusk so temperamental. Larchtail did say they were inseparable before Slatewhisker vanished._

Frostmask blinked, a sudden thought striking her.

_Larchtail! She’s Slatewhisker’s daughter, so that makes her my kin! She has littermates too, doesn’t she? Argh, but I can’t remember their names. Do any of them have kits? Either way, that’s a lot of kin! I have cousins! More family in SkyClan._

Frostmask’s thoughts reeled as she padded through the still-quiet camp to drop the shrew in the fresh-kill pile.

She could hardly believe it. She’d gone so long feeling like she had no blood relatives anywhere, and now she suddenly had almost more family members than she knew what to do with.

Frostmask felt a small flicker of warmth in her chest.

_I’m glad that out of all of the cats in SkyClan, I’m related to Larchtail. She’d be the one I’d pick._

Frostmask’s thoughts turned to the next gathering, and she began to wonder if she’d be able to see Larchtail then. Of course she couldn’t tell her that Paledusk was her father, but it would be nice to get to know the SkyClan warrior better.

Frostmask blinked, her thoughts suddenly interrupted by a voice.

“Frostmask, may I speak to you for a moment?” Grovepelt meowed.

Frostmask’s stomach flipped as dread spiked in her. She turned towards him, and she spotted the deputy sitting in the deep shadow of Clanrock, evidently waiting for the rest of the Clan to gather so he could assign the patrols for the day.

_Oh no, is he going to ask where I went all night? And, why I only came back with a shrew?!_

Her mind spun for a good excuse even as her paws carried her over to him. Frostmask gingerly sat down next to Grovepelt, her muscles tense in preparation for an intense questioning. Grovepelt green eyes were unreadable as he gazed at her.

“I’m glad I ran into you this morning. I wanted to tell you that Sedgestar and I’ve spoken. I know he told you the truth of your ancestry,” he said, his voice low.

Frostmask blinked. This wasn’t the line of questioning that she was expecting, but her muscles stayed tense regardless.

“Yes,” she said tightly. “I know you knew it too.”

Grovepelt dipped his head in concession.

“And, you’re angry with him, with me, with Redclaw?” he asked, his mew calm.

“Yes,” Frostmask repeated, the tightness in her muscles only worsening.

“I’m sorry for the way Sedgestar told you,” Grovepelt said, his gaze lowering in regret. “He let his fear and his anger at the attack get the better of him.”

“At least I know now,” Frostmask murmured bitterly as her tail-tip twitched. “It’s better than letting everyone lie to me my whole life.”

“Sedgestar thought he was doing what was best for you and the Clan,” Grovepelt said, an ear angling towards her.

A spark of anger lit in Frostmask’s chest.

“How does he know what’s best for me?” she snapped, glaring at him.

Grovepelt gazed evenly back, and Frostmask broke eye-contact first, dipping her head to him in a sort of apology. Even though she was upset, she knew that the wise deputy still deserved her respect.

“I’m sorry, Grovepelt,” she murmured. “I shouldn’t yowl at you. Honestly, I’m not that angry with you… I know you were just following Sedgestar’s orders.”

“And, Redclaw was not?” Grovepelt challenged, flashing her a sharp glance from his green eyes.

The fur on Frostmask’s shoulder’s stiffened.

“It’s different,” Frostmask said, doing her best to keep a growl from her voice. “Redclaw raised me.”

“Yes, she did. And, she loves you,” Grovepelt said with gentle insistence. “Even though she knows the truth. It never mattered to her. Doesn’t that make her love all the more genuine and true?”

Frostmask blinked hard, turning to gaze out into their camp so Grovepelt couldn’t see the pain in her eyes.

“Do you know the number of times Redclaw came storming into a Sedgestar’s den to yowl at him about any little thing he was thinking about doing in regards to you?” Grovepelt continued in a soft voice. “She always fought for you.”

“Then why did she lie to me?” Frostmask whispered in a hoarse voice.

Grovepelt hesitated for a moment.

“She’s a loyal warrior. It would’ve been difficult for her to disobey direct orders from Sedgestar,” Grovepelt murmured. “And, maybe she also thought it was the right thing to do. That you’d be happier in ShadowClan if you didn’t know.”

Frostmask’s ears flattened. Maybe that was true. Things would certainly be less complicated if she didn’t have any SkyClan kin.

Frostmask sighed, shuffling her paws on the ground as the tension drained from her body.

“Maybe you’re right,” Frostmask said softly. “But, it still hurts. What Sedgestar and Redclaw did to me. The lie…”

She stared down at her feet, picking at the ground a bit more with her claws.

“It was already hard enough for me growing up, feeling like I didn’t belong because I wasn’t born here. But, I tried really hard to prove myself, only to find out all my fears were true. That ShadowClan and Sedgestar doesn’t trust me. It feels like it took away everything in my life. Everything I worked for in ShadowClan. Even who I thought I was.”

Her brow furrowed.

“I feel like I’m still trying to figure out who I am now that I do know,”she confessed.

Grovepelt sighed.

“I wish Sedgestar had spoken to me before he talked to you that night,” he said, his voice contrite. “I would’ve tried to stop him. It was a huge mistake for him to accuse you like that, and I know he’s sorry for it.”

Frostmask frowned down at the ground, not quite sure if she believed him. She did at least think that Grovepelt believed he was telling the truth, but did _Sedgestar_ actually think that?

…That she couldn’t say.

“It’s true. He is,” Grovepelt said, evidently reading the doubts on her face. “I know it will be difficult for you to forgive him for doubting your loyalty, but Sedgestar still thinks you are an exceptional warrior, Frostmask.”

Frostmask’s tail-twitched, but she still didn’t respond.

“Have you every wondered why Sedgestar made you a mentor as such a young warrior?” Grovepelt asked.

Frostmask’s ears pricked in confusion at the sudden change in conversation. She glanced over at Grovepelt.

“Because he thinks that Lizardpaw and I are a good match,” she meowed. “That we understand each other because of the trials I went through, and that he’ll go through, to become a warrior. Sedgestar told me so himself.”

Grovepelt dipped his head.

“That is all true,” he murmured. “But, even if Lizardpaw was not deaf, I feel confident that one of Snakeeyes’ or Dawntail’s kits would’ve been assigned as your apprentice.”

“Why?” Frostmask asked, puzzled.

“Well I’m not getting any younger,” Grovepelt said with a quiet, amused purr. “I know Sedgestar had been molding Swoopstrike to be my replacement as deputy, but after his tragic death… Sedgestar is again searching among the younger generations. As all deputies are required to train an apprentice before accepting the role, I believe you are a candidate.”

Frostmask stiffened suddenly, her eyes widening.

“What?” she said. “Really?”

She expected Grovepelt to start purring in amusement, almost certain that this was all some sort of big joke, but Grovepelt just nodded, his green gaze serious.

“He hadn’t spoken to me about it directly,” Grovepelt meowed. “But, his intentions seem obvious enough. At least, to someone who has known him as long as I have.”

_Does Sedgestar ever do anything without having an ulterior motive?!_

Frostmask blinked in shock before bowing her head, her mind spinning as it processed Grovepelt’s words.

_Me?! Possibly deputy? Is that even something I want?_

She gave her head a small shake, her chest tightening in anxiety. It felt like way too much responsibility. Too much pressure.

_Besides, how could I ever be a deputy to a leader who doesn’t trust me?_

She blinked again, trying to send away the worry so she could focus.

_There must be other candidates though. Sedgestar might not even pick me, even if something does suddenly happen to Grovepelt. The other cats that got their first apprentices around when I did were Pineshade, Dampfang and Rowanheart. Rowanheart and Pineshade make sense. Rowanheart is Sedgestar’s son and a brave, level-headed warrior. And, Pineshade has always been a natural leader… But, is Dampfang really a candidate too?!_

Frostmask frowned and tried to look at his merits objectively.

_He is an exceptionally talented fighter. And, brave. He isn’t afraid to challenge Sedgestar, which others might see as disrespectful, but maybe Sedgestar thinks it’s a good idea to have a deputy who can stand up to his leader? Although I certainly wouldn’t what him as my deputy, even given those positive traits…_

“Does that mean you believe the other candidates to be Rowanheart, Pineshade, and Dampfang?” Frostmask asked, blinking away her thoughts.

Grovepelt dipped his head in confirmation.

“See, that quick mind is what Sedgestar finds so impressive about you,” he meowed the compliment with a soft purr. “Yes. I think those three are the others he’s considering. And, I suspect perhaps Snakeeyes as well.”

“Do any of them know?” Frostmask asked, her tail twitching.

Grovepelt shook his head.

“I don’t believe so,” he said. “Not unless they figured it out on their own. I don’t think even Swoopstrike knew, and he had been basically singled-out by the end. Sedgestar likes to keep his intentions close to his chest, and I think he doesn’t want the knowledge of his interest influencing anyone’s behavior.”

Frostmask’s brow furrowed in confusion.

“Then why did you tell me?” she asked.

Grovepelt tilted his head to the side.

“Well, I was hoping it would help restore some of your faith in Sedgestar,” he said. “And, I don’t think it will go to your head as it may with our more… arrogantly-inclined friends.”

Frostmask gave her head a small shake. What Grovepelt was saying still hardly seemed real to her tired mind. How could she _really_ be on Sedgestar’s short-list of potential deputies? It felt like something out of a dream. Or, a nightmare.

“Still, probably best to keep this information to yourself,” Grovepelt continued with a purr. “I doubt Sedgestar will be very pleased with me if it becomes the gossip of the camp.”

Frostmask gave a small sigh.

_So many secrets…_

Her shoulders sagged almost like they were weighed down by the force of them, but she dipped her to Grovepelt.

“Of course,” she said.

Grovepelt nodded, and got to his paws to leave her. Some cats had emerged from the warriors’ den now and were grooming themselves in camp as they waited for Grovepelt’s orders.

“Grovepelt?” Frostmask asked before he could pad off, suddenly remembering her conversation with Paledusk.

“Yes?” he said, glancing back at her with his kind eyes.

“Er— I have weird question,” she said, forcing a purr. “Does the name ‘Darkstar’ mean anything to you? I overheard some cats talking about a ‘Darkstar’ during the gathering, and it’s been driving me crazy with curiosity.”

“Darkstar was the leader of SkyClan when I was a young cat, before Fennelstar,” Grovepelt said, studying Frostmask curiously. “But, that’s ancient history now. Why would cats be talking about him?”

“I’m not sure either,” Frostmask lied, hoping Grovepelt didn’t notice the fact that her pelt prickled uncomfortably. “But, I think it was a group of older SkyClan warriors talking about him. Something about how the fighting between ThunderClan and SkyClan was Darkstar’s fault.”

Grovepelt’s eyes lit up with a memory.

“Ah! Darkstar gave away SkyClan land to ThunderClan towards the end of his reign,” Grovepelt said.

“Really?” Frostmask said, widening her eyes with manufactured surprise. “Why’d he do that? Maybe the reason that SkyClan took ThunderClan territory this past moon is because they feel like they deserve their old land back?”

Grovepelt’s tail twitched, his eyes unfocused as he seemed to lose himself in deep thought.

“I don’t remember why he did it,” he said. “But, I think that could certainly be why SkyClan is being so aggressive with ThunderClan now.”

His gaze sharpened, and he nodded approvingly at Frostmask.

“Thank you for telling me this,” he meowed. “I’ll pass it on to Sedgestar. It’s always useful for us to understand our enemies’ motives.”

Frostmask dipped her head to Grovepelt, and he padded off towards the group of warriors to assign patrols. During their conversation, the barest hint of the sun had crested the horizon, and the ShadowClan camp had come alive. Snakeeyes and Rowanheart were taking Hollowpaw out of camp for training. Darkpelt was chatting with Greytail and Flymask as they shared a meal by the elders’ den, and Frostmask could hear Mosspounce shamelessly flirting with Thornheart as the two of them left on a patrol with Dappledpelt and Leafbreeze.

Frostmask stifled a yawn. She decided she wouldn’t allow herself to nap until it was sun-high. The thought of slacking off on her duties because she was too tired from speaking with Paledusk during the night made her feel terribly guilty. She needed to help take care of her Clan, regardless of how tired she was.

A flash of motion in the corner of her eye caught her attention. Frostmask spotted Redclaw padding into the nursery, carrying a bundle of moss in her jaws. Frostmask hesitated a moment, her heartbeat picking up, before she padded after her, feeling encouraged to speak to her as her conversation with Grovepelt replayed in her head.

As Frostmask peered beneath the roomy bramble bush, she saw Redclaw, Larkfoot, Amberberry and Pineshade inside. Larkfoot was busy clearing the nursery of old moss, while Amberberry plugged drafty holes in the bramble wall, and Pineshade and Redclaw arranged fresh moss into a new nest. They were clearly getting the nursery, which had been unused for a moon, ready for new occupants.

Frostmask’s thoughts about Redclaw all evaporated as her gaze settled on Pineshade, her stomach clenching in dread.

_Why is she helping the queens fix up the nursery? Oh StarClan, she can’t be… She and Dampfang aren’t—_

“Frostmask!” Larkfoot’s pleasantly surprised voice interrupted Frostmask’s thoughts when she noticed her head sticking in the den. “Is there something you need?”

“Uh… just wondering what was happening in here,” Frostmask managed to say, her gaze flicking from Larkfoot back to Pineshade, who had stopped smoothing down moss to glance up at her.

Amberberry purred loudly.

“I’m expecting my second litter!” she announced, her eyes shining. “I’m due in little under a moon!”

Frostmask’s gaze flew to Amberberry as relief crashed over her. She realized that the queen did look a little plumper than all of the other cats in the den, who had a typical leaf-bare leanness to them.

_I don’t know how I missed that! Maybe I’m more sleepy than I thought._

“Oh! Congratulations!” she said quickly to hide her surprise.

Frostmask stepped into the den and gave the golden-furred queen a purr. Now that her feelings of surprise and relief that Pineshade wasn’t the one expecting kits faded, a warm glow of happiness for Amberberry kindled in her chest.

“Mosspounce and Murmurstep must be eager to meet their little siblings,” Frostmask added. “And, I’m sure Kestrelmoon is ecstatic as well.”

Amberberry nodded.

“I can’t wait to be raising little kits in the nursery again,” she meowed wistfully. “You all are so big now!”

“I feel exactly the same way,” Larkfoot purred.

Amberberry leaned against her friend’s side.

“I’m glad you’ll be in the nursery to help me out again,” Amberberry said to the older queen before shooting Redclaw a look. “Although we’ll miss you Redclaw!”

Redclaw purred but didn’t look up from the moss that she was meticulously placing down. Redclaw’s shoulders were tight, and Frostmask bent her head to rasp her tongue down her chest self-consciously as she realized that Redclaw must be feeling awkward because she was here.

“…Unless you and Weaseltail decide to have a second litter as well,” Amberberry teased. “Then it’ll be just like old times!”

Redclaw glanced up then, her gaze flicking over Frostmask and Pineshade before resting on Amberberry.

“I think all those kits already gave me more than enough trouble the first time around,” she said drily. “If I had a second litter, those ones might very much kill me.”

The queens purred while Pineshade rolled her eyes, and Frostmask dipped her head to rasp her tongue down her chest in embarrassment again. Frostmask then picked her way slowly over to Redclaw, being careful not to kick over any of the piles of old moss in the process.

“Hey,” Pineshade meowed suddenly as Frostmask stepped by her. “Why were you looking at me like that?”

Frostmask blinked, glancing over at her.

“Like what?” she asked.

“When you first came into the nursery, you were staring at me like I’d grown a second head,” Pineshade said with a snort. “So what’s wrong? Have I got old moss all over my face or something?”

“Oh,” Frostmask said with an awkward purr, her tail-tip twitching. “Er— well for a moment when I saw you helping with fixing up the den, I thought maybe… you were the one expecting kits.”

“Me?!” Pineshade said, her eyes widening.

Pineshade shook her head, an incredulous purr of amusement bursting from her chest.

“No way!” she meowed. “I’m _never_ having kits.”

Frostmask’s eyes widened slightly.

“Never?” she echoed. “Why not?”

“Well, I’d hate being stuck in camp for six moons,” Pineshade said, her purr fading and her brow furrowing as her mood turned serious. “Not to mention the thought of tiny bodies growing inside of me freaks me out.”

Pineshade shuddered before glancing around at the three queens in the den with her.

“No offense,” she added. “It’s not that I don’t _like_ kits. It’s that I just don’t want any of my own.”

“None taken,” Larkfoot purred. “There’s no shame in not wanting to raise kits. And, queens should only have kits if they want them. No one should be forced into it!”

Frostmask’s brow furrowed.

_Do I want kits one day?_

It wasn’t something that she’s really considered before. She’d always liked kits; even as an apprentice she hadn’t minded playing with or watching over Snakeeyes’ litter when the queen needed a break from them. But, the thought of having kits of her own filled her with a confusing mixture of dread and excitement. Excitement about finally having family around her who were related to her by blood… But dread about the kits being treated poorly as she was— they’d be part rogue and part SkyClan after all.

And, would she even know how to be a good mother to them? She had Redclaw, Amberberry, and Larkfoot to model herself after of course, but she wouldn’t be able to protect the kits from everything, no matter how hard she tried… and how would she know if she was doing the right thing for them?

Frostmask’s stomach sank as a new realization weighed it down.

_Which must be exactly what Redclaw felt about me._

Frostmask’s eyes flickered back over to her. Redclaw had gotten back to work with forming the new nest. Frostmask gazed at the heartbreakingly familiar pattern of red and black patches on her side.

Frostmask had often thought of Autumnleap as her biggest defender, but now she realized she was wrong. Before Autumnleap had even become her friend, it was Redclaw who was there. Starting from the instant that May died, Redclaw had been the one guarding and supporting her.

She didn’t have to. Maybe things would’ve even be easier for Redclaw if she didn’t— it certainly would’ve caused her less strife between Redclaw and Pineshade at least. And, yet, she hadn’t even hesitated. One moment May had been next to Frostmask, cold and gone, and then it was Redclaw, fiery and alive, curling her tail around her and pulling her into her soft pelt. Arguing for Frostmask, even against her own kits, and according to Grovepelt, fighting for her behind the scenes.

How many other things had Frostmask taken for granted from her? All the quiet sacrifices Redclaw must have made when she chose to love and raise Frostmask despite the insistence of many others who told her not to bother.

_She always tried her best to take care of me… and I’ve just been treating her like snake-dung lately._

Frostmask’s whiskers drooped. She took the last few steps that brought her to Redclaw’s side.

“Can I talk to you outside for a moment?” Frostmask murmured.

Redclaw’s ears pricked in surprise, and she glanced up at Frostmask. She stared at her for a moment before giving a nod and straightening. The two of them padded out of the den, and Frostmask led them to a secluded area by the thorn barrier. Frostmask turned to face Redclaw, swallowing around the lump that suddenly appeared in her throat.

“I- I…” she rasped, staring at the ground by Redclaw’s feet since she was unable to meet the queen’s eyes. “I understand now that you were just doing your best. I shouldn’t hold it against you. I’m really sorry for the way I’ve been acting.”

Redclaw was silent for a moment, and Frostmask made herself look up at her face, half-expecting a scolding from the stern queen. But, Redclaw’s green eyes were soft as she stared at Frostmask’s face.

“I know I’m not May,” Redclaw whispered. “And, I could never replace her, nor do I want to. But, I do love you Frostmask.”

Frostmask’s paws shook slightly.

“Even though I said so many terrible things to you?” Frostmask rasped, her heart twisting in guilt.

Redclaw gave a brief rumble of laughter.

“Yes,” she said. “Of course I still do.”

“I love you too, Redclaw,” Frostmask whispered.

A loud purr burst from Redclaw chest, and she stepped forward, pressing her cheek against Frostmask’s, and at that gentle contact, a dam broke inside of Frostmask. Her body began to tremble uncontrollably as she pressed her face into Redclaw’s neck and shoulder.

“You wanted me when no one else did.” Frostmask’s voice was thick with a sob and muffled by Redclaw’s fur. “Even when I didn’t want to let you in. You still chose me. Thank you.”

“It’s okay, little one,” Redclaw soothed, pressing her muzzle against Frostmask’s cheek. “I am so grateful StarClan led you to here to ShadowClan.”

For a few moments, neither of the two spoke. The only sound was the constant, soothing rumble of Redclaw’s purr as she comforted Frostmask. Once Frostmask calmed down, she pulled away from Redclaw, her pelt prickling slightly as some embarrassment about her sudden breakdown set in.

“Why don’t we go back to the nursery to finish helping the others?” Redclaw suggested gently.

Frostmask nodded, clearing her throat awkwardly. But, Redclaw didn’t seem to mind her embarrassment, and Frostmask felt lighter than she had in sunrises as she followed Redclaw back to the nursery. As they approached the den, Frostmask saw that Murmurstep had come over to help too, and she had more new moss for the nests clutched in her jaws as she ducked into the nursery. She was smoothing it down with Pineshade’s help as Redclaw and Frostmask entered back into the den. Pineshade looked up as the two of them rejoined the group, clearly oblivious about the nature of the conversation between Redclaw and Frostmask.

“The nest is looking pretty good,” Pineshade declared, rising to her feet and stretching her legs out. “I think I might take Cricketpaw out now, if you don’t need anymore help. It’s already way past sunrise, and I’m sure that ‘paw is still in her nest, sleeping!”

Frostmask purred, in a sudden good mood.

“At this rate, she’ll think you’ve gone soft on her,” Frostmask teased. “I don’t think Swoopstrike ever let me sleep one wink in past sun-up.”

Pineshade raked a sharp look over Frostmask.

“Sounds like the raven’s calling the crow black, because I don’t see Lizardpaw hiding under your tail either!” she shot back.

Frostmask’s tail twitched, her brow furrowing. She couldn’t think of a good quip in response because she realized Pineshade was right. Pineshade shot her a smug look, clearly knowing that was the case, while Murmurstep poorly disguised her _mrrow_ of amusement at the situation with a cough.

“I think Larkfoot, Amberberry and I can handle the rest, thank you,” Redclaw said with a purr, steering the conversation back to topic.

“Yes, this _is_ part of my job now, after all,” Larkfoot said as she helped Amberberry patch up the den’s walls.

Amberberry’s gaze flickered over Frostmask, Murmurstep, and Pineshade.

“If you three still want to help, though, I’ve been craving squirrel,” she purred. “Although I haven’t seen one in the fresh-kill pile for sunrises!”

Larkfoot clicked her tongue.

“Well that’s because they’re surely all curled up in their nests from this cold weather!” she said.

“But, they have to come out to dig up their nut stores at some point, or else they’d waste away,” Amberberry argued back. “The rest of the latest snowfall just melted off yesterday, maybe they’re out forging now!”

Larkfoot just hummed doubtfully.

Pineshade turned away from the bickering queens to cast an amused glance at Murmurstep and Frostmask.

“Well, are you guys up for this very important squirrel hunting mission?” she asked.

Murmurstep shot an affectionate glance at her mother.

“I’m in,” she purred. “I’d be happy to get you a squirrel, Amberberry.”

“I’ll go too. I wanted to take Lizardpaw hunting anyway,” Frostmask said.

“Alright. Let’s go grab our lazy apprentices!” Pineshade said, leading the way from the den with an eager bounce in her step.

Frostmask and Murmurstep followed her out. By the time they’d made it into the clearing, Pineshade had already vanished into the apprentice’s den, and then was just as quickly coming back out with Lizardpaw and Cricketpaw in tow. Frostmask purred at the apprentices’ ruffled fur and bleary eyes. It looked like Pineshade literally dragged them from sleep and their nests without even giving them a moment to orientate themselves.

However, as Pineshade and the apprentices approached them, Frostmask’s amusement evaporated as she caught sight of a dark pelt. Dampfang strode up to Pineshade, whose steps slowed as he approached.

“Taking Cricketpaw out?” he asked.

His gaze flicked from the dilute tortoiseshell apprentice and over to Lizardpaw, where it stayed, his brow furrowing.

“What are you doing with him?” Dampfang rumbled.

Pineshade nodded towards Frostmask and Murmurstep, who were still standing a few fox-lengths away from her.

“We’re going hunting,” she meowed, her tail-tip twitching.

Dampfang cast a glance over his shoulder towards them. He caught sight of Frostmask, and his nose crinkled up slightly.

“Ah,” he drawled, turning back to Pineshade. “I was going to ask if you wanted to do some training with Cedarpaw and I, but now I see that you’re… busy.”

Pineshade shifted from paw to paw uncomfortably.

“We could maybe patrol together this evening,” she mumbled.

Dampfang seemed to soften somewhat.

“Alright,” he said, touching his muzzle to her cheek in farewell. “See you then.”

Pineshade nodded, visibly relaxing as she rumbled a brief purr. As Dampfang padded off, Frostmask glanced over Murmurstep. She looked as uncomfortable with the interaction between Dampfang and Pineshade as Frostmask felt; her ears were twisted back and her expression tight as her golden tail twitched slightly.

Frostmask gave her head a small shake to push her thoughts of Dampfang away as Pineshade and the apprentices finally joined them.

“You both ready?” she asked Frostmask and Murmurstep.

Murmurstep nodded, her eyes brightening with Dampfang’s disappearance, and Frostmask gestured for Pineshade to lead the way. Pineshade turned towards the camp’s exit, her spiky-furred tail held high.

“Watch out squirrels!”

* * *

They had bad luck with finding any squirrels, but a good time hunting. Frostmask knew that Cricketpaw and Lizardpaw always had fun when they got together, although Frostmask had also found that Lizardpaw’s distractibility tended to increase substantially when he was on a patrol with one of his younger den-mates. At those times, Lizardpaw seemed much more interested in playing with, or showing off in front of, Cricketpaw, Cedarpaw, and Hollowpaw, than he did listening to Frostmask.

Still though, Frostmask was happy to see Cricketpaw in a good mood. She and her littermates had been understandably depressed for the past moon— with the death of Dawntail during the raid, and then Buzzardpaw following her only a half of a moon afterwards.

Also, despite his inattention towards Frostmask, Lizardpaw still proved himself invaluable when it came to tracking down faint prey trails, although they didn’t have any luck finding one that belonged to a squirrel.

Frostmask enjoyed patrolling with Murmurstep too. She hadn’t spent much time with her old den-mate for the past few moons, since Frostmask got so busy training Lizardpaw. But, Frostmask rather liked the she-cat. Murmurstep normally wasn’t very talkative, but when she did speak, her remarks tended to have a biting wit.

The three she-cats now trailed behind their apprentices, who were partly tracking prey, and partly playing tag, several fox-lengths ahead.

“How’s training Lizardpaw going?” Pineshade asked, blinking at Frostmask.

Frostmask’s tail twitched.

“He’s making good progress,” she meowed, glancing over at her apprentice as he and Cricketpaw scampered ahead of them. “He masters each battle move I teach him really quickly. He’s a very good hunter too, although sometimes I have to remind him things like brushing up against plants makes noise.”

Pineshade nodded.

“Cricketpaw’s hunting is coming along well, but she needs to be more confident with her battle training,” she said, her brow furrowing slightly. “Maybe her and Lizardpaw can do some battle training together soon. It might make her feel more self-assured if she practiced against another apprentice.”

Frostmask mewed in agreement.

“You two are lucky that you got apprentices so soon,” Murmurstep sighed, her thick-furred tail twitching.

Frostmask was quiet, her thoughts drifting back to the conversation she had with Grovepelt earlier.

“You’ll get your own soon enough,” Pineshade responded with a dismissive ear flick. “Maybe you’ll even get to train one of your little siblings.”

“Yeah, but that’ll be over six moons from now!” Murmurstep complained, her ears angling back.

“If you want, you can join me and Cricketpaw when we do some training,” Pineshade offered. “I know it’s not the same as having your own apprentice, but you’d be able to get some experience mentoring. And, maybe Sedgestar would appreciate the initiative and be more inclined to assign you one from the next group of kits.”

Murmurstep ducked her head shyly. She didn’t reply for a moment, instead turning her head to rasp her tongue down her pale golden-furred side, flattening her slightly prickling pelt.

“Thanks,” she mewed finally in a soft voice. “That’s very kind of you. I’d like that.”

Pineshade nodded.

“Of course,” she said.

“So, is Mosspounce also eager for her own apprentice?” Frostmask asked, pulling herself out of her thoughts about Grovepelt and Sedgestar and deputyship.

Murmurstep huffed in amusement, shaking off her bout of bashfulness.

“No. She’s not looking for that kind of responsibility,” Murmurstep said. “Mosspounce is much more focused with flirting with every available cat in the Clan instead.”

Frostmask tilted her head thoughtfully.

“I saw her talking with Thornheart earlier,” she meowed.

“Well, she was padding after Hootflight yesterday,” Murmurstep laughed.

“And, Autumnleap the day before,” Pineshade added with a purr of amusement.

Frostmask’s ears perked up.

“Autumnleap?” she echoed, her paws prickling.

“Don’t worry,” Murmurstep said, giving a reassuring blink. “He didn’t humor her for long.”

Frostmask ducked her head, her ears burning with sudden heat.

“I- I didn’t mean,” she stammered. “Autumnleap can do whatever—“

“Ugh, are you still doing this?” Pineshade interrupted loudly, rolling her eyes.

Murmurstep swallowed back purrs as Frostmask’s pelt prickled indignantly.

 _“Pineshade,”_ Frostmask hissed, shooting a brief, but pointed glance at Murmurstep before looking back over at her.

Pineshade waved her off with a swish of her tail.

“Oh relax. Murmurstep knows about you and Autumnleap. I mean, practically the whole Clan knows!”

Frostmask fur warmed even more.

“They do? How?” she asked.

“Well, it’s not like your affection for each other is some big secret. If it was, you two should stop acting so cute together in public,” Pineshade said with another eye roll, but there was a purr beneath her words. “Our clan-mates just haven’t said anything to you because ShadowClan, out of all cats, knows how to respect privacy.”

“Well, it sounds like everyone’s accepted it _but_ Frostmask,” Murmurstep teased gently.

Pineshade purred louder while Frostmask swiped her tongue down her chest fur vigorously.

“It’s just complicated, alright?” Frostmask mumbled into her fur, hoping that would put an end to this conversation.

But, of course, she wasn’t that lucky.

“How?” Murmurstep asked, tilting in her head in confusion.

Frostmask cast a glance over at the apprentices, both to check up on them and make sure that they were still not paying attention to the older cats’ conversation.

“Well… I’m afraid of being with him, then losing him,” she admitted in a low voice, not able to meet Pineshade’s or Murmurstep’s gazes.

Pineshade scoffed.

“Is that possibility worth seeing him end up with someone like Mosspounce?” she asked, arching a brow.

Frostmask’s ears twitched back, and she didn’t respond.

“You know you can’t keep him waiting on you forever to make up your mind,” Pineshade continued, her voice turning slightly sharper as she came to her brother’s defense. “That’s not fair to him.”

“I know,” Frostmask sighed, her gaze downcast. “I’m just scared. What if we’re together and something bad happens to him… and he- he- he _dies._ It’d destroy me.”

“Yeah, but there’s nothing you can do to change the fact that bad things happen,” Pineshade said rationally, her tail twitching. _“Everyone_ dies. You either learn to live with that, or you ignore it by making sure you don’t get close to anyone, being miserable and alone forever.”

Frostmask’s tail twitched, but she couldn’t deny the logic in Pineshade’s words.

_She has a point._

Frostmask’s thoughts drifted to Paledusk, SkyClan and the state of the forest. With tensions between the Clans escalating everyday, the future of both ShadowClan and the whole forest was terrifyingly uncertain.

 _Maybe the only way to cope is to take what happiness I can,_ **_while_ ** _I still can._

“You might be right,” Frostmask said.

“Besides,” Murmurstep broke in with a soft mew. “Are you really saving yourself any heartbreak by not being together? It’s not like that stops you from having feelings for him or anything.”

Pineshade nodded in agreement.

“That’s true too,” she said. “Honestly, your entire plan here is starting to sound really frog-brained, Frostmask.”

Murmurstep didn’t say anything, but she shot Frostmask a look that seemed to say that she agreed with Pineshade. Frostmask huffed, twitching her tail again.

“Alright. Alright. I get it,” she grumbled. “StarClan. When did this conversation turn into ‘let’s all tease Frostmask?’”

“You just make it too easy for us, Frost,” Pineshade laughed.

“Does that mean you’re going to talk to him?” Murmurstep pressed.

“If I say yes will you both put a mouse in it about it?” Frostmask quipped, shooting Pineshade specifically a glare.

“I can’t make any promises,” Pineshade warned, her tail flicking mischievously.

Murmurstep began to purr in amusement, and Frostmask shot her a sharp look as well.

“Don’t encourage her!” Frostmask jokingly protested.

Before Murmurstep or Pineshade could say anything else, Lizardpaw and Cricketpaw came bounding back over to the group of warriors, both of their pairs of eyes wide and their pelts prickling nervously.

“Lizardpaw said he smells rat!” Cricketpaw’s voice was high-pitched and squeaky with fear as she dug unsheathed claws into the ground.

“Rat?” Pineshade echoed, her pelt rising.

The fur on Frostmask’s shoulders bristled too. She knew Pineshade and Lizardpaw must remember the horrifying sight of the cannibalistic rats as well as she did, and although Cricketpaw hadn’t seen them for herself, she had seen the damage they’d done to her brother. Frostmask shuddered, trying to shake off the memory.

“We’re not that close to the Carrionplace, are we?” Murmurstep asked, blinking in confusion.

“Not really,” Frostmask confirmed.

“We need to investigate this,” Pineshade said grimly, turning to Lizardpaw.

 _‘Show us where,’_ she ordered.

Lizardpaw nodded, setting his jaw determinedly. The patrol broke into a brisk trot as he led them off to the left, and it wasn’t long until Frostmask’s nose twitched as she picked up the sour scent of the creature too. It appeared to just be a single individual, but the fact that it had wandered so far outside the bounds of the Carrionplace was certainly strange and troubling. The scent was fresh, and it grew stronger as the patrol gained on it. As they drew closer, Pineshade signaled for Lizardpaw to fall back as she took the lead. The group prowled around the trunks of the pines, and Frostmask’s gaze flashed as she caught a flicker of movement near the roots of a large tree.

“There,” she breathed, signaling towards it with a flick of her tail.

But, this rat hardly seemed to be a threat. It was bone-thin and lying on the ground on its side, its flanks heaving. One of its dark beady eyes flashed towards the cats, glimmering as it saw them and realized their danger. But, the creature seemed like it didn’t have the strength to stand. It just lifted its head, baring its large, yellowed teeth and letting out a squeak in a half-hearted warning to the cats.

Frostmask’s nose twitched as she picked up another scent from the animal. Lizardpaw glanced over at her, noticing her sniffing.

 _‘Rat blood,’_ he signed, confirming her suspicions.

Frostmask nodded. She couldn’t see any wounds on the rat from this distance, but the salty tang in the air was unmistakable.

_I wonder if the rat is even injured, or is the blood from it eating one of its brethren?_

Frostmask shivered.

“What’s wrong with it?” Cricketpaw muttered.

“It could be injured,” Frostmask said. “Or, just sick or starving.”

“Or, all three,” Pineshade suggested. “Maybe it wandered out here to look for food.”

“Or, escape from _becoming_ food,” Frostmask muttered, and Pineshade gave a grim nod of agreement.

“Should we kill it?” Murmurstep asked, staring unblinkingly at the rat. “Fresh-kill is fresh-kill.”

Frostmask’s tail twitched as she and Pineshade shared an uneasy glance. Murmurstep was right that any prey was valuable in the dead of leaf-bare, but the idea of eating the cannibalistic rats that lived among two-leg trash was rather… unappealing.

“Maybe we should just leave it to be crow-food,” Pineshade said. “What if it _is_ sick? We shouldn’t eat it then.”

Frostmask felt a flicker of relief. Pineshade’s point was reasonable, and it meant that they could leave the rat be.

 _I don’t want to be anywhere_ **_near_ ** _one of those things._

“Good point,” Frostmask said, nodding.

Murmurstep also meowed an agreement, and Pineshade signaled for the patrol to depart. As they turned away from the rat and padded off into the forest, Frostmask cast a final glance at it from over her shoulder. The rat watched the cats walk away for a few moments before it finally lowered its head back down to the ground. Letting out a quiet, almost pained, squeak, it closed its eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know a bunch of other things happened in this chapter which should be the main focus, like Frostmask’s conversation with Grovepelt and then her forgiving Redclaw. But, instead, can I take a minute to talk about just how much fun writing petty relationship drama?? All these young warriors (besides Poolcloud and Dewleaf, who are very happy in their functional, stable relationship; bless them lol) are such romantic disasters, and I love it.
> 
> Thank you all for reading, and especially to those who have left comments and kudos!


	38. Pestilence

Frostmask tilted her chin up towards the dark indigo sky, watching as her foggy breath drifted towards the stars. Shivering slightly, she pressed herself closer to the warmth radiating off of Poolcloud, who was crouching at her side. He barely responded to her touch; his muscles were stiff and his eyes glazed over as he blankly stared down at the body of Fogfur in front of them.

Frostmask’s gaze dropped down to Poolcloud’s former mentor, and mournfulness welled in her chest. In the last half a moon, greencough had taken root in Fogfur’s lungs, and the once powerful warrior had wasted away. Now his long grey fur clung to a body that seemed to be made from nothing but skin and bones— just a shadow of his former self.

Frostmask pressed herself against Poolcloud’s side again, this time in an attempt to comfort him, but still he didn’t glance at her or even flick an ear in her direction. Frostmask looked out over Fogfur’s body, her gaze meeting with Autumnleap’s. She could see the same concern she felt for Poolcloud shining back at her in his amber eyes.

The sound of someone’s throat clearing made Frostmask glance up. All the elders, besides Flymask, who was sick with greencough now and much too frail to leave his nest, were padding over. They had come to preform a death ceremony yet again.

_These are becoming much too regular._

Frostmask rose to her paws, respectfully taking a step back to make room so Greytail, Treefur, and Darkpelt could stand over Fogfur. Poolcloud however, still didn’t move from Fogfur’s side, and Dewleaf had to gently nudge him to his paws, guiding him back. Poolcloud pressed himself hard against her, his expression bleak as he continued to gaze at Fogfur. Frostmask noticed Treefur also looked especially grief-stricken, and a faint memory from her apprentice ceremony resurfaced as she recalled that Treefur had been Fogfur’s mentor.

It was he who had the honor of beginning Fogfur’s ceremony.

“Fogfur, you’ve served ShadowClan honorably for many seasons as a brave and powerful warrior, but sickness can claim even the strongest among us,” Treefur rasped, his cloudy eyes mournful.

Darkpelt limped forward, his brow furrowed.

“You have fulfilled your warrior vows, and so we release you from your oath to ShadowClan,” he rumbled, gazing down at Fogfur. “Now, the endless expanse of our ancestor’s hunting grounds awaits you, where you are free to roam, healthy and young once again.”

Greytail stepped forward now to conclude the ceremony.

“Journey to StarClan now with claws sharp, eyes bright, and tail held high! Go, and receive your warrior's welcome!” she yowled, lifting her gaze to the sky.

The Clan began to stomp their paws against the ground. Frostmask threw her head back, lifting her voice along with her clan-mates.

“Fogfur! Fogfur! Fogfur!” they cheered, honoring the fallen warrior one last time.

As the final note of their yowls faded, Clearstream strode forward. Her blue eyes reflected starlight, and seemed to shine with a mystical wisdom that Frostmask could never even hope to understand.

“Fogfur hunts with our ancestors now,” Clearstream said. “The body he left behind will be buried at dawn.”

Some clan-mates began to quietly murmur among themselves. It was late in the night, past the time that most cats would be in their nests, and now that the ceremony had concluded many cats turned to go to their dens to rest a bit before dawn. Frostmask stared at them as they walked away, her stomach twisting as she swept her gaze over their thin frames and tired eyes. Frostmask knew that the start of new-leaf couldn’t be more than a couple of moons away, but right now it felt like leaf-bare would never end.

Frostmask recalled Grovepelt once saying that late leaf-bare was always the most difficult time of the season because by then, all of the forest and prey were at their weakest from suffering so long from the cold. Frostmask’s gaze flickered to Dampfang as he brushed past her. Even he lately seemed like he didn’t have the energy to antagonize Frostmask or pester Sedgestar about when ShadowClan would get their revenge against SkyClan.

 _You know times are tough when even_ ** _Dampfang_** _can’t muster the strength to be a frog-brain._ Frostmask mused.

“Are you staying out?” Autumnleap’s voice asked her softly, interrupting her thoughts.

Frostmask blinked, turning towards him as he padded over to her, before her gaze flickered over to Poolcloud again. He’d gone back to crouching next to his mentor with Dewleaf sitting supportively at his side. Treefur and Marshnose were among the others who had stayed to continue to hold vigil for Fogfur.

“I think I might sit with Poolcloud for a while longer,” Frostmask said in a soft voice, so it wouldn’t reach anyone’s ears but Autumnleap’s.

Autumnleap’s eyes were round with sympathy as he glanced over at his brother.

“Poor Poolcloud,” he murmured. “I know he really admired Fogfur and having to watch him slowly decline like this…”

“It must have been hard,” Frostmask agreed, sighing quietly.

Autumnleap nodded, and Frostmask’s ears flattened against her head.

“When will leaf-bare end?” she lamented to no one in particular.

“We’ll get through this,” Autumnleap said, raising his chin confidently.

“I hope so,” Frostmask murmured.

Autumnleap brushed his pelt reassuringly against her side, and Frostmask’s fur warmed at the touch. She was reminded that she hadn’t had the chance yet to speak with Autumnleap after the conversation she’d had with Pineshade and Murmurstep about a half a moon ago.

Her stomach flipped with nerves.

 _It’s not like I’m not avoiding talking to him; I’ve just been busy and it just hasn’t felt like the right time yet!_ She tried to argue with herself, giving her ears a small shake.

“Are you going to head to your nest?” Frostmask asked him, pushing those thoughts away.

“I’ll stay out for a bit,” Autumnleap said.

Frostmask nodded and settled back down by Poolcloud. Autumnleap crouched at her side, and only a heartbeat later, Pineshade appeared, squeezing herself next to Poolcloud so she could lightly brushing her tail over his back.

“We’re all here for you,” Autumnleap murmured, leaning over Frostmask to touch his nose to Poolcloud’s ear.

Poolcloud finally lifted his gaze up from his mentor’s body. As he glanced around at Dewleaf, Pineshade, Frostmask and Autumnleap, his amber eyes welled with emotion.

“Thanks guys,” he whispered.

All of them huddled even more tightly together, as if the could drive away more than the icy air with the warmth of their shared pelts.

* * *

Frostmask’s paws dragged as she, Lizardpaw, Rowanheart, Snakeeyes, and Hollowpaw made their way back to camp the next day. Their patrol had left at dawn to hunt, and Frostmask barely got any sleep last night because of Fogfur’s vigil, but more than exhaustion was weighing her down now.

They had spent all morning fruitlessly searching the forest for prey. The entire patrol had only gathered one mouse, caught by Rowanheart, and one shrew, tracked down and dug out of its burrow by Lizardpaw.

Frostmask’s stomach clenched painfully, reminding her that the last time she’d eaten was yesterday morning. Frostmask closed her eyes for a moment, comforting herself by reliving her memories of last green-leaf, when ShadowClan’s marshes and pines were so full of prey, it felt like you couldn’t take a stride without almost stepping on a frog or a skink. Now though, all the reptiles and amphibians had disappeared to hibernate until the weather turned warm again.

Frostmask had never been the biggest fan of scaly fresh-kill, but now her mouth watered at the thought of sinking her fangs into a large, juicy lizard or frog.

Frostmask blinked her eyes back open as their downtrodden patrol reached the thorn barrier of their camp. Squeezing through the tunnel, they emerged into a subdued camp. Cats were outside their dens, enjoying the weak leaf-bare sunlight, but the camp didn’t have the typical relaxed energy of ShadowClan at sun-high. Her clan-mates just mostly seemed exhausted. They were tightly pressed together in groups, but it seemed much more out of a utilitarian need for heat than out of a desire to enjoy each other’s company.

Frostmask’s patrol first headed over to the fresh-kill pile; if it could even be called a _pile._ Right now there were only two mice and a bird sitting there. Frostmask turned to Lizardpaw as Rowanheart dropped his mouse with the others.

 _‘Why don’t you take your shrew to Amberberry?’_ she suggested. _‘I’m sure she’ll appreciate it. Then you can take a break afterwards; you’ve earned it.’_

Lizardpaw nodded, his gaze flickering from Frostmask to the meager fresh-kill pile behind her.

 _‘There’s not enough for me to have anything to eat right now is there?’_ he asked.

Even though the thought of denying Lizardpaw food felt like claws pricking at her heart,Frostmask gave her head a small, regretful shake.

 _‘The elders have not been fed yet today,’_ she signed. _‘But we will eat something caught by the sunset hunting patrols later. I promise.’_

Lizardpaw nodded, his whiskers drooping slightly. He walked off to the nursery with the food for Amberberry.

 _If there’s still not enough prey for everyone in the evening, I’ll give Lizardpaw my share._ Frostmask swore to herself despite her stomach clenching in hunger.

“Poor scrap,” Snakeeyes murmured to Frostmask as she watched her son pad away. “He’s a new-leaf kit— not used to have an empty belly.”

Rowanheart stepped over to his mate’s side.

“The weather will turn soon enough,” he meowed. “No leaf-bare lasts forever.”

Frostmask nodded, trying to imbue herself with Rowanheart’s optimism. Her gaze flickered across the camp, searching for a distraction from her yowling belly.

“Hey Frostmask!” Mosspounce chirped cheerily, waving her golden tail to catch her attention.

Frostmask spotted her sitting and chatting on the other side of the camp with Pineshade and Murmurstep.

“Join us!” Mosspounce called.

Frostmask approached the group, giving a purr in greeting, and Mosspounce scooted over to make space for Frostmask to sit next to her. Frostmask crouched down, but before she could even tuck her paws under her chest, Mosspounce eagerly leaned into Frostmask’s side, nestling herself into Frostmask’s much longer and fluffier pelt.

Frostmask blinked in stunned surprise.

“Did… did you somehow trick me into coming over here, just so I could be your personal fur-warmer?” Frostmask asked, staring at Mosspounce in bewilderment.

“Whaaat?” Mosspounce said, dragging out the syllables. “No…”

She then pressed herself even deeper into Frostmask’s thick pelt, making her defense all the more unconvincing. Pineshade and Murmurstep burst into purrs, and Frostmask couldn’t help but laughing as well at the brazenness of Mosspounce’s plan.

“Okay, so maybe I did little,” Mosspounce admitted, withdrawing from Frostmask’s pelt slightly. “But, that doesn’t mean that I also don’t appreciate your company, Frostmask! It’s just that my fur is so short, and Pineshade was hogging all of Murmurstep’s pelt! Even though Pineshade’s fur is already longer than mine, so Murmurstep should really be sharing with me!”

Frostmask glanced over at them, and did notice that Mosspounce was right about the two she-cats being pressed closely together.

“What! You’re not entitled to my pelt,” Murmurstep protested as she blinked indignantly at Mosspounce.

“You’re my sister! Of course I’m entitled to it,” Mosspounce said, lolling her tongue out tauntingly at Murmurstep.

“Maybe Murmurstep just likes me better than you,” Pineshade sniffed, giving Mosspounce a teasing glance from narrowed eyes. “I don’t spend every heartbeat meowing into her ears. Every moment. Of both your lives.”

Mosspounce huffed offendedly as Frostmask and Murmurstep purred with amusement. But, then motion in the corner of Frostmask’s vision drew her eye, distracting her from the playful bickering. It was just Sedgestar walking across the camp clearing, but something seemed off about him. Instead of his normal confident and purposeful stride, his gait was hesitant and unsteady; his amber eyes bleary as he made his way in the direction of the medicine cats’ den.

Frostmask’s shoulder fur bristled in fear and worry.

“Is Sedgestar sick?” she hissed in a low voice, interrupting Mosspounce, who had been saying something else.

Silence fell over the group as all their eyes turned to their leader. They watched as Sedgestar paused a few fox-lengths away from the medicine cats’ den, swaying slightly on his paws.

“Oh no,” Pineshade murmured.

Pineshade’s ears flattened back, and she rose to her paws as if she was about to rush over to help him. But, they weren’t the only cats that noticed Sedgestar’s state. Before Pineshade could even take a step, Emberflower had hurried to her mate’s side, her eyes dark with concern.

“Sedgestar! Are you okay?” she asked, pressing her flank against his to steady him.

“I’m… I’m not feeling well,” Sedgestar rasped.

Frostmask tensed in shock as she spotted crimson beads of blood form on Sedgestar’s lips, dripping from his mouth as he spoke. Emberflower stiffened as well, her green eyes widening.

“Clearstream! Elmclaw!” she yowled, whipping her head in the direction of their cave. “I need your help! Something’s wrong with Sedgestar!”

At Emberflower’s cry, the heads of everyone in camp snapped towards Sedgestar, and a gasp of worry rippled through ShadowClan.

Just as Clearstream poked her head out of lichen cover entrance to the medicine cat den, Sedgestar collapsed to the ground.

Blood was streaming more quickly from both his mouth and his nose now, and it showed no sign of slowing. Sedgestar’s shoulders strained as he struggled to pull his paws back under him as Clearstream and Elmclaw sprinted over. A tense hush fell over the camp as the eyes of all of ShadowClan stared in fear at their leader. Rowanheart was now at his mother’s side, and the two of them stared down at Sedgestar with identical distressed green eyes. Grovepelt rushed over as well, his ears pinned back in horror as he circled Sedgestar.

“Stay down!” Clearstream ordered, putting a gentle paw on Sedgestar’s flank to stop him from trying to rise back to his paws. “What happened? Are you in pain? Injured? How do you feel?”

“Exhausted,” Sedgestar managed to say, his amber eyes half-lidded. “My head hurts.”

Watching him speak was horrifying. His teeth were stained red with blood, and more of it just ran from his lips with each movement of his mouth.

“We have to stop this bleeding,” Clearstream said, her gaze narrowed with intense focus and concern. “Elmclaw, go get horsetail.”

Elmclaw didn’t move.

“We don’t have any horsetail,” Elmclaw said, his eyes round with dismay. “Remember?”

“Snake-dung,” Clearstream swore loudly. “That’s right.”

“Why is he bleeding? Where it is coming from?” Emberflower asked urgently.

Clearstream gently opened Sedgestar’s mouth with her paws. Sedgestar allowed her to do so without protest. His body was limp, and Frostmask’s stomach twisted as she realized that she wasn’t sure if he was still conscious anymore.

“There’s too much blood,” Clearstream said. “I can’t tell. He’s not coughing though, so I don’t think it’s his lungs.”

She touched her nose to Sedgestar’s ear.

“He’s not feverish,” she declared. “But, he’s deteriorating quickly.”

Sedgestar’s flanks shuddered as he struggled to breathe. Frostmask dug her claws into the ground, her muscles stiff with horror. She was certain he was unconscious now. His amber eyes were still half-open, but they had lost all their focus and intensity.

“He was totally fine this morning!” Emberflower said, a small wail entering her voice as she circled her dying mate. “Can’t you do anything!?”

Sedgestar’s sides spasmed more fiercely now, and he retched, but the material that flowed from his mouth was dark red, just more blood being spewed from his body.

“I don’t know what’s wrong, and we have no herbs to stop the bleeding,” Clearstream whispered, her gaze distressed but her mew steady. “His life is in StarClan’s paws now.”

Dead silence fell over the camp; the only noise was the sound of Sedgestar’s lungs rasping wetly with each shaky breath. Grovepelt sunk to the ground next to Sedgestar, rasping his tongue rhythmically over his head and murmuring to him in a low, soothing voice like one might use to comfort a little kit.

Sedgestar hung on for a while, much longer than Frostmask thought he would, judging by the amount of blood dripping from his body. But, then finally, air rattled from Sedgestar’s lungs in an exhale, and his flanks didn’t rise again.

A sharp inhale reverberated through the clan as if in echo of Sedgestar’s final breath.

Emberflower made a soft whimpering noise, and Rowanheart pressed himself against her side, draping his tail over her back comfortingly. A small pool of blood had formed around Sedgestar’s head, and his muzzle and chin fur had turned red from soaking in it.

Frostmask stared at Sedgestar’s body, every hair on her pelt tense.

She knew that he had nine lives, but she’d never seen him lose one and come back. Truthfully, she didn’t even know if he had lost any at all during the time that she’d been in ShadowClan. But, he was her leader; wouldn’t she know if he had?

Although, on the other paw, he was a very secretive cat. Maybe this was something he kept to himself… And, who knows how many lives he’d lost before she came to ShadowClan. She knew he’d become leader as a young cat, and so had already led ShadowClan for many seasons now.

But, this couldn’t possibly be his _last_ life.

…Right?

Sedgestar jerked and gasped, his eyes flying open as a long, shuddering breath inflated his lungs. His back arched as his head was thrown back, and his eyes went so wide, Frostmask could see a ring of white around the amber. His jaws stretched open as if in a silent scream of agony as his body contorted.

Then as suddenly as he had stirred, he dropped back to the ground with a dull thump, his eyes closing again. But, now Frostmask could see his flanks were moving in slow, even breaths— the blood that had been flowing from his nose and mouth had dripped to a stop and was drying on his fur. Emberflower and Rowanheart leapt to his side, crouching down to cover his face in frantic, loving licks, cleaning the blood from him, while Grovepelt sighed, his head bowing in relief. An unsteady purr rumbled in Sedgestar’s chest, and he cracked his eyes open.

“I’m alright,” he rasped to Emberflower, Rowanheart, and Grovepelt.

He lifted his head up to address the entire watching camp.

“I’m alright,” he repeated in a stronger voice.

Frostmask released a tense breath and exchanged relieved glances with Pineshade, Murmurstep, and Mosspounce. Purrs and murmured gratitudes to StarClan echoed throughout the clearing, and now that the crisis seemed over, clan-mates flowed over to gather around Sedgestar. Frostmask followed Murmurstep, Pineshade, and Mosspounce to join the crowd, gazing at Sedgestar with an odd mixture of horror, awe, and relief.

“Dear StarClan, what happened to you?” Larkfoot gasped, her short fawn pelt bristling with fear and concern. “That was horrible!”

“I don’t know,” Sedgestar meowed, forcing his paws under him and straightening to a sit. “It came over me so quickly.”

Sedgestar began to stand, but Clearstream stopped him by draping her tail over his back.

“Rest longer,” she ordered. “StarClan may have healed whatever was wrong, but you still need a few moments to recover your strength.”

Sedgestar relented and remained sitting.

“You don’t think it’s some kind of new sickness?” Dustleap asked, his eyes filled with worry.

His gaze sought out Hollowpaw, Cedarpaw, and Cricketpaw in the crowd, and Frostmask knew he must be terrified of losing his remaining kits like how he had lost Buzzardpaw to greencough.

“It’s not like any sickness I’ve heard of,” Elmclaw rumbled, his tail-tip twitching with unease.

“I don’t think it is one,” Clearstream added, shaking her head. “No disease would come on so quickly.”

“Then what could it be?” Darkpelt asked before turning to Sedgestar. “You haven’t recently gotten injured, have you?”

Sedgestar shook his head in reply.

“Well, it could’ve been just something was wrong with Sedgestar’s body,” Clearstream meowed, shooting Sedgestar a look out of the corner of the eye. “Sometimes, something goes wrong, or organs fail for seemingly no reason, and it kills a cat.”

Frostmask saw her clan-mates brows begin to furrow with concern.

“But, if that was the case, then StarClan has healed the malady,” Clearstream continued. “Besides that though, there’s only one other option that I can think of…”

She hesitated, her ears flicking with nervousness.

“What?” Sedgestar prompted, his gaze unwavering as he stared at her.

“…Poison,” Clearstream responded finally, her mew reluctant.

Frostmask’s ears flattened as a fresh wave of confusion and worry rippled through the clan.

“Poison?” Emberflower echoed, taking a protective step closer to Sedgestar. “But, how? Sedgestar isn’t frog-brained enough to eat something like deathberries.”

“It’s not deathberries,” Clearstream said with assertive head-shake. “That kills very differently. Although deathberries aren’t the only poison in the forest.”

She turned to Sedgestar.

“I need you to tell me exactly everything you ate and drank for the past day,” she said. “And, did anything you consume taste off at all?”

“Not at all,” Sedgestar said, shaking his head. “All I had was water from the pools around camp and prey from the fresh-kill pile.”

“It can’t be the water,” Clearstream muttered, half to herself. “If it was, more cats would be sick. So it must be the prey.”

_Our food has been poisoned?!_

Frostmask’s stomach flipped in fear, an emotion that was echoed by her clan-mates as they began to let out concerned mews. Sedgestar shot a glance around the camp before turning back to Clearstream.

“Are you sure that it’s poison?” he whispered.

Sedgestar’s low voice was clearly intended to only reach Clearstream’s ears, but Frostmask was standing close enough to them to pick his words out from the fearful muttering of the crowd.

“You might be worrying them for no reason,” he added.

“I’m not sure, but it needs our immediate attention either way,” Clearstream whispered back. “If we ignore it, and it actually _is_ poison, it could happen again to one of our clan-mates. One who doesn’t have nine lives.”

Sedgestar had no response to that.

“What if this is the rotten pine!?” Mosspounce’s frightened voice rang out above the murmuring.

Sedgestar lifted his head and swept his gaze over his clan.

“We don’t know that for sure,” he reassured, his voice firm but calm.

“But, we also don’t know that it’s not,” Marshnose fired back, his brown tabby and white pelt prickling. “Fogfur died yesterday, and now you lose a life today? That sounds like an omen that ShadowClan’s starting down a path to ruin to me.”

“Could this be SkyClan’s doing?!” Greytail demanded, curling her lip up to bare yellowed fangs. “Could they be trying to poison us?”

The muttering of the crowd rose in volume to hisses and growls as cats began to argue. Some yowled out in agreement with Greytail, while others pushed against her.

“That’s frog-brained,” Treefur growled to his den-mate. “How could SkyClan have snuck into camp to poison our prey?”

“How did they attack our camp without warning?” Greytail shot back.

“Do you think they targeted Sedgestar on purpose?!” Mosspounce gasped, her eyes wide.

“It’s not SkyClan!” Murmurstep hissed at her in response.

“I’ve been telling you this all along!” Dampfang shouted, lifting his tail and baring his fangs. “It must be the work of a traitor! Someone is working with SkyClan!”

Hisses of shock echoed Dampfang’s words. Frostmask dug unsheathed claws into the ground, struggling to keep her expression neutral.

_I’m no traitor to ShadowClan, but if they found out that I met with Paledusk, they’d claw me to shreds before I could even explain anything!_

“No! It can’t be!” Amberberry gasped in fear, her eyes wide as she swept her tail over her belly protectively.

“Enough! _Enough!”_ Sedgestar yowled, rising to his paws and lifting his tail for attention. “We will figure this out, but panicking won’t help us.”

The cats slowly settled back down, although they still stared at each other like wide-eyed owls. Frostmask’s fur bristled slightly as she felt suspicious glances brush over her pelt. She looked around with a sharp gaze, daring any of her clan-mates to meet her eye and challenge her loyalty to her face, but no one did. Frostmask did however notice that many of her clan-mates were directing paranoid glances towards several cats, not just her, and she felt strangely relieved that she wasn’t the only cat under scrutiny.

Grovepelt rose to his paws as well, standing at Sedgestar’s side with his chin raised high. He swept his gaze over the clan, his green eyes narrowed in fury.

“Proposing that any one of our clan-mates would be a traitor to ShadowClan and wish for Sedgestar’s death is the most _ridiculous_ thing I’ve ever heard,” Grovepelt hissed, and Frostmask thought that she’d never heard the deputy’s voice sound so icy. “I know that every cat here would give their life to save each other without hesitation. Don’t forget that StarClan told us that ShadowClan gets its strength from our loyalty to each other.”

Grovepelt locked his searing gaze on Dampfang.

“You should be ashamed of yourself,” he spat.

Dampfang bowed his head dutifully, but his voice was still confident as he spoke out.

“I just don’t think we should rule out any possibilities,” he said. “How else could Sedgestar have been poisoned, if someone didn’t put it in the fresh-kill?”

A low growl rumbled in Grovepelt’s throat.

“You should not throw out such weighty accusations without proof,” Grovepelt insisted. “There may be another explanation for the poison. We just need some time to work it out.”

Sedgestar nodded.

“Yes,” he meowed in agreement. “We are getting ahead of ourselves. We still don’t even know for sure if the poison came from our fresh-kill pile. Clearstream knows more about diseases, herbs, and poisons than any other cat in the clans. If anyone can figure out what happened, she can.”

Sedgestar turned back to her.

“What should we do next?” he asked.

Clearstream shook out her long grey tabby pelt and took a deep breath.

“Let’s go back to the prey you had for your latest meal,” she meowed. “What have you eaten today?”

Sedgestar shook his head.

“I didn’t eat today,” he responded. “The fresh-kill pile has been low, so I didn’t want to take anything. The last thing I ate was yesterday, around sun-high. It was a mouse.”

Clearstream nodded.

“It might have been that mouse then,” she said before sweeping her gaze across the crowd. “What cats led hunting patrols yesterday morning or the evening before?”

Beeclaw, Kestrelmoon, Redclaw, and Leafbreeze stepped forward.

“Where did each of you hunt?” she asked.

Redclaw and Leafbreeze reported that their patrols had both hunted near the Burnt Sycamore the day before yesterday. Yesterday morning, Kestrelmoon had led his hunting patrol by the WindClan border, while Beeclaw’s patrol had hunted in the woods around the Carrionplace.

Grovepelt’s ears pricked up.

“The Carrionplace?” he echoed.

Beeclaw nodded in confirmation, looking at the deputy.

“I noticed that prey was running well there,” he meowed. “I think it’s because they’ve been eating the two-legs’ trash.”

Grovepelt’s brow furrowed in concern. Sedgestar gazed at him intently, reading the thoughts in his expression.

“You don’t think the two-legs could have anything to do with this?” Sedgestar asked, his brow furrowing.

Grovepelt’s thin tail twitched uneasily.

“Many seasons ago, when I was a newly made warrior,” he began slowly. “There was an outbreak of a strange disease in leaf-bare that claimed the lives of many cats.”

He shot a glance over at Greytail.

“Do you remember that season?” he asked her.

“How could I forget?” the elder growled, her fur prickling. “The sickness killed my sister.”

“Describe what the disease was like," Clearstream interrupted, her tail twitching with a hint of impatience as the older cats recalled the grim memories. “I’ve heard stories about the outbreak, but I was only a kit at the time. Much too young to remember any details about the symptoms.”

“It began with cats just feeling weak and tired,” Grovepelt meowed. “Then as the days passed, it progressed to a small amount of bleeding from the nose and mouth. Cats grew weaker and weaker and then succumbed. The whole process never took more than a quarter moon from first feeling of weakness to death.”

He shot a glance over at Sedgestar.

“So there were some similar symptoms, but it was never as swift and violent as what happened today,” he said.

He looked back at Clearstream.

“Could it be possible that what we thought was a disease was actually a poison?” he asked. “Something that is happening again?”

“I think it’s the best lead we have,” she meowed, her gaze dark. “How was this outbreak contained?”

Grovepelt’s gaze unfocused as he got swept up in the memory.

“At that time, we still often hunted rats in the Carrionplace,” he meowed. “However, once our cats began to fall ill, we noticed that the rats there appeared ill too. We stopped hunting at the Carrionplace, and no more cats got sick. That’s why we assumed the disease came from them, and how we learned that the Carrionplace contained more danger than just the rats themselves.”

Frostmask’s stomach flipped sickeningly as she recalled the odd behavior of the rat her patrol had came across in the woods only a half moon ago. She stepped forward, her pelt prickling.

“When I was patrolling with Pineshade and Murmurstep a little under a half-moon ago, we saw a weak rat out in the forest, near the outskirts of the Carrionplace,” she said. “We thought it was sick or injured. But, maybe it was poisoned.”

Pineshade and Murmurstep muttered confirmations. Grovepelt gazed at Frostmask, his expression grave.

“I still don’t understand,” Emberflower interrupted, shaking her head. “If it’s a poison that’s hurting the rats, how did it affect Sedgestar, or those other cats seasons ago? We’re not eating the poison, and diseases can jump from animal to animal, but poisons cannot.”

“We are eating the poison. Through our fresh-kill,” Clearstream said, her voice low. “The prey goes to the Carrionplace and somehow eats two-leg poison. Then we catch that prey and eat it, but the poison remains inside the prey’s meat.”

Emberflower blinked in shock.

“That’s possible?” she asked.

Clearstream nodded grimly, and yowls of concern echoed throughout the camp.

“Is all of our fresh-kill contaminated then?!” Leafbreeze demanded.

“What will we eat?” Treefur growled.

Sedgestar threw his head back to let out another commanding yowl and silence fell over the camp again.

“It seems likely that the poison is coming from around the Carrionplace,” he said. “So we will give it a very wide berth to avoid it when hunting. Try to stick close to the borders instead. As for our fresh-kill pile…”

He shot a regretful glance over at it. There were still the few mice and one bird sitting there.

“We throw it all out,” he growled. “There’s no way to tell what fresh-kill came from where, and we can’t risk it being from near the Carrionplace.”

“Waste prey in the dead of leaf-bare?” Treefur said with a gasp.

Sedgestar locked his gaze on the elder.

“We can’t risk it,” he repeated firmly.

He looked around at the crowd.

“Rowanheart, Leafbreeze take care of disposing of them,” Sedgestar ordered. “Use your paws to move them and bury them deep so nothing will dig them up and eat them. Then take care to wash your feet off in the stream before doing any grooming. Dewleaf and Weaseltail, scrape fresh dirt over the area where the fresh-kill pile sat. When new prey is caught, we will make a new pile over there.”

He jerked his muzzle to a spot several fox-lengths away from the current pile.

“It can’t hurt to be careful,” Sedgestar growled.

The cats he named scrambled to obey him, and Sedgestar turned to Grovepelt.

“We need to send out extra hunting patrols to restock the pile,” he meowed.

Grovepelt nodded, but before he could say anything. Beeclaw stepped forward, his ears flat against his head.

“It’s my fault that the poisoned prey was brought to camp,” he said, guilt marring his expression. “I shouldn’t have led my hunting patrol near the Carrionplace yesterday.”

Sedgestar shook his head, gently touching his tail tip to the dark warrior’s shoulder.

“There was no way you could’ve known,” he meowed. “Besides, StarClan has had mercy on us since I was the only one who fell ill.”

“But, do we know for sure that you were the only one poisoned?” Beeclaw asked, his tail twitching.

He shot a worried look over at Elmclaw and Clearstream.

“Is there anything you can do to stop the poison before a cat gets sick? Something you could give to someone who might have also eaten prey caught by my patrol?” he asked.

Elmclaw glanced uncertainly at Clearstream.

“There’s yarrow which can induce vomiting after someone eaten something poisonous…” he meowed.

“But, that only works if it’s taken shortly after the poison was eaten,” Clearstream muttered. “Sedgestar ate the mouse last sun-high. Presumably anyone else who ate poisoned food would’ve done so yesterday around that time. It would be much too late for yarrow to do anything now.”

Frostmask was suddenly extremely grateful that she and Lizardpaw hadn’t eaten since yesterday morning, but her fur bristled with worry for her friends as she looked around the camp. She noticed her clan-mates were doing the same thing— gazing at one another with wide, somber eyes as if expecting one another or themselves to collapse at any moment. Frostmask swallowed with difficulty, her mouth suddenly dry.

She turned to Pineshade to whisper in her ear.

“When was the last time you ate?” she asked.

“This morning,” Pineshade whispered back, her eyes round with worry. “Autumnleap and I shared a vole.”

Frostmask’s heart jumped up to her throat.

“Autumnleap?” she rasped hoarsely, searching for his pelt among the crowd. “What about Poolcloud?”

“I think the last time he ate was yesterday morning,” Pineshade muttered. “He didn’t feel like eating at all after Fogfur passed. What about you?”

“Yesterday morning too,” she said, still gazing at the crowd.

Her eyes had found Autumnleap. He was staring out at Sedgestar, Beeclaw and the medicine cats, his auburn pelt prickling with fear.

“Then you two should be fine,” Pineshade murmured. “You ate before Beeclaw’s patrol came back. We will have to see about me and Autumnleap… But, I think it’s much more likely that we ate prey brought in from a later patrol’s than from Beeclaw’s.”

Pineshade turned to ask Murmurstep and Mosspounce about when they’d last eaten, but Frostmask’s head was too filled with a roaring sound of fear for Autumnleap and Pineshade to hear their response. She jerked, snapping out of it for a moment as Sedgestar raised his voice for attention again, lifting it above the worried murmuring of the Clan.

“Remain calm!” he meowed. “The only thing we can do now is wait. If we make it through the rest of the day without anyone else getting sick, I think we will be in the clear. But, if someone starts not feeling well, head to Clearstream and Elmclaw immediately! Those of you who know for sure that you did not eat from Beeclaw’s patrol, go see Grovepelt for hunting assignments. Everyone else, remain in camp so you can get immediate treatment if you start feeling ill.”

Clearstream disappeared back into the medicine cat’s den to check on their herbs and make any needed preparations while Elmclaw strode up to Sedgestar.

“I want to run to the ThunderClan camp and ask Fallowtuft for horsetail,” Elmclaw rumbled. “It’s the only herb that’d stand any chance at stopping the kind of bleeding that happened to you.”

Sedgestar gave him a curt nod.

“Go,” he meowed.

Elmclaw sprinted out of the camp, his face dark with concentration as he rushed through the thorn barrier.

The clan then slowly began to split into two halves. Frostmask took one step over towards Grovepelt before glancing back at Pineshade. Pineshade lifted her chin, putting on a confident expression and giving Frostmask a nod.

Frostmask sent a silent prayer up to StarClan, pleading for Pineshade and Autumnleap to be alright as she and Lizardpaw joined the group of cats around Grovepelt. As Grovepelt began dividing up the patrols, Frostmask glanced over at the cats in the other group again, her eyes scanning over the pelts. There was Pineshade, Autumnleap, Mosspounce, Darkpelt, Larkfoot, Dewleaf, Hootflight, Thornheart, Dustleap, and Cedarpaw over there.

Frostmask was so focused on the storm of worry raging inside of her, she hardly blinked in acknowledgement as Dappledpelt gestured for her and Lizardpaw to join her patrol. The group headed out into the forest, but Frostmask’s thoughts and attention remained with the cats who were left at camp.

* * *

Frostmask’s whole body sagged with tiredness as she stumbled back that evening. Since she hadn’t been able to catch up on any rest during sun-high, exhaustion had taken over completely. This patrol had just about as much luck as the earlier patrol as well, and the whole group had only managed to retrieve three pieces of prey.

As they entered the camp through the thorn barrier, Frostmask’s head snapped up, her gaze scanning the clearing for the cats that had remained. She breathed a sigh of relief as she spotted Autumnleap, Pineshade, Poolcloud and Dewleaf sitting near the edge of the camp in the shelter of the thorn bushes, looking just as fine as they did when she left them, but their brows were furrowed with worry as they gazed at a group of cats gathered near the entrance of the medicine cats’ den. Frostmask dismissed Lizardpaw with a gesture of her tail and bounded over to the four cats.

“Are you all doing okay? What’s going on?” Frostmask meowed quickly, not bothering with greetings.

“We’re fine,” Autumnleap said, glancing over at her.

“But, Hootflight just became sick,” Pineshade murmured, her jaw clenching.

Frostmask glanced back over at the cats gathered near the medicine cats’ den. Hootflight was lying in a nest that had been made in the shelter of Clanrock, but outside of the den, likely to keep him away from Flymask and his greencough. Hootflight’s pale grey flanks rose in short, shallow breaths as blood dripped from his nose. Elmclaw was back from ThunderClan, and he was now coasting Hootflight into eating some herbs. Clearstream was nestling more moss around Hootflight to keep him warm, while his brothers Thornheart and Beeclaw crouched near his side, whispering to him as they groomed his fur.

Sedgestar and Grovepelt were near Clanrock as well, although they kept a few tail-lengths of distance away from Hootflight, giving his family and the medicine cats space. Dampfang and Darkpelt also watched from a short distance, standing side by side. The father and son wore identical distressed expressions as they gazed at Hootflight. Darkpelt had been Hootflight’s mentor, and Dampfang was one of his closest friends.

“Is he the only other cat who’s gotten sick?” Frostmask whispered.

Autumnleap nodded, his expression sober.

“Will he be okay?” she asked.

“I don’t know,” Autumnleap muttered. “It came over him just as quickly as it happened to Sedgestar.”

Frostmask’s stomach twisted as she glanced at the grey tom again. She’d never been particularly close to Hootflight— he was Dampfang’s friend after all. But, she still didn’t want to see her clan-mate die.

A shudder passed through Hootflight’s body, and he let out a low, pained moan.

“You can fight this,” Thornheart growled in encouragement, rasping his tongue fiercely across Hootflight’s forehead.

“…I’m so tired.”

Hootflight’s hoarse voice was so faint, Frostmask’s ears just barely picked it up.

“You’ve got to hold on,” Beeclaw pleaded, pressing his face into his brother’s neck fur.

Hootflight didn’t respond, but his flanks still rose and fell in shaky breaths. A few more moments stretched on, and then he stilled as his body fell limp. There was one tense hush of silence, and then a mournful yowl rose up from Beeclaw.

“No, Hootflight!” Beeclaw cried. “This is my fault!”

He fell forward over his brother, gripping his body with his paws as if he could will him back to life. Thornheart screwed his eyes shut, his jaw clenching. Clearstream crouched down to press her ear to Hootflight’s chest, checking for a heartbeat. She stood up again slowly, her gaze downcast as she shook her head. Elmclaw came over to Beeclaw, pressing his pelt against the smaller tom’s side.

“There was nothing we could do,” Elmclaw whispered, his green eyes round with sorrow. “I’m sorry.”

“This isn’t your fault. It’s _mine,”_ Beeclaw hissed, lifting his head from Hootflight’s side, his eyes bright with anger and pain. “I killed him.”

Elmclaw tensed.

“Don’t say that!” he rumbled fiercely. “You did nothing wrong. None of us had any knowledge about the poison before now.”

Beeclaw turned his face away from Elmclaw, refusing to meet his eyes.

Frostmask sighed heavily, her head bowing as she took in Thornheart’s grief-stricken expression and Beeclaw’s guilt-ridden one. The fur on her side stirred as Autumnleap rose to his paws.

“I need to try to help Beeclaw,” he said in a low voice before striding over to his former mentor.

“Thank StarClan you weren’t poisoned,” Poolcloud murmured to Dewleaf, pressing his muzzle to her ear.

“But, poor Hootflight,” Dewleaf whispered, gazing out at the camp. “He was so young… only five moons older than me. Dampfang and Darkpelt must be devastated.”

Frostmask blinked as Pineshade walked away from them too. She padded up to Dampfang, whose face was crinkled up in fury and grief. Pineshade murmured something to him too low for Frostmask to hear, but Dampfang turned to her, bowing his head to bury his face in her pelt.

* * *

While the sun set, Hootflight was moved to the center of the camp. As his body was prepared for vigil, Clearstream insisted that the blood be washed from his fur with damp moss, rather than groomed, as to not risk any cat coming into contact with even trace amounts of the poison. She told the clan that there should be no risk in touching or being close to tom, only with grooming him, but Frostmask noticed that most mourners kept a careful tail-length of distance between themselves and Hootflight, as if they thought that the poison could burst out of his body and bite them.

Having not been particularly close to Hootflight, Frostmask hung back at the edge of the camp as the sky darkened, and his vigil began. Thornheart and Beeclaw sat the closest to Hootflight, at his head.

Beeclaw’s gaze was bleary as he stared down at his brother. He had been so distraught earlier that Clearstream and Elmclaw had given him some sort of calming herb. Now he was much stiller and quieter, but none of the pain in his eyes had dimmed.

Frostmask closed her eyes, her heart clenching as she imagined how terrible it would feel to be in Beeclaw’s position. It hardly seemed fair either— Beeclaw’s disposition was so patient and kind. He certainly never did anything to deserve such torment.

Frostmask’s eyes flickered back open as her gaze swept over the clan. A different sort of weariness clung to her clan-mates now, flattening their ears and drooping their tails so they dragged in the dirt. As if leaf-bare and the other clans weren’t threats enough, a new predator stalked their camp. And, this one was invisible, undetectable and utterly deadly.

Frostmask swallowed hard, her mouth dry.

It felt like every cat still alive now had avoided the poison out of sheer luck, and luck was all that would keep them from it going forward. Sedgestar’s order to avoid hunting near the Carrionplace was a sensible one, but Frostmask knew that prey had no sense of borders like the clans did, and they roamed where ever they pleased. Who’s to say that a mouse caught near the WindClan border had not come there from the Carrionplace?

 _But, we need to eat_ **_something._ ** _Or, starvation will kill us._

Frostmask’s chest tightened as the feeling of dread in her grew. She gave her head a small shake, trying to push it away.

_Maybe I should just try to be grateful that no more of us died._

The dread refused to be so easily forgotten though, and it surged back up to gnaw at her bones.

_…But, for how long will that last?_

“You okay?”

Frostmask jolted, her gaze flying to Autumnleap, who was now standing at her side, staring at her. She shook her ears as if she could dislodge her grim thoughts like she could cold water.

“Yeah. Yeah,” she lied quickly as Autumnleap took a seat.

There was no reason to make him worry about her when their Clan was facing much larger, existential problems.

“How’s Beeclaw doing?” she asked before Autumnleap could dwell on her words long enough to discover any dishonesty in them.

Autumnleap sighed heavily, his gaze lowering.

“Not good,” he admitted freely. “I mean you see him. He blames himself, and he won’t listen to reason about that.”

“It’s been a sudden shock, and he’s grieving,” Frostmask murmured. “I’m sure he’ll come to realize that Hootflight’s death isn’t his fault.”

Frostmask’s gaze drifted over to Beeclaw again.

“Are you sure you should be here talking with me, and not with him?” she asked.

Autumnleap’s ears pricked.

“Do you not want me to be here?” he asked, a slight edge of wariness to his voice.

She looked at him quickly, her brow furrowing.

“That’s not want I meant,” she said. “But, it was like you said earlier. Beeclaw needs you.”

Autumnleap glanced away from her.

“He doesn’t. Or he doesn’t want my help,” he said in a low voice. “I think Thornheart is the only one who can comfort him right now. Did you know their parents died back when they were only six moons old? Some freak accident. A fox attack I think. Beeclaw’s brothers have been his only family since then.”

“I had no idea,” Frostmask murmured.

Autumnleap nodded solemnly, staring out into the camp before looking at her suddenly again.

“Do you want to come with me?” he asked abruptly, making Frostmask blink in surprise.

“Come with you?” she echoed, her brow furrowing. “Where?”

“Out into the forest,” he meowed. “Somewhere. Anywhere.”

He flexed his claws in and out anxiously, scraping them against the frozen ground.

“We can hunt if you’d like. The fresh-kill pile still needs restocking. Or we can just walk. Whatever you want,” he said.

Autumnleap dipped his head, his ears flattening.

“I can’t sit through another clan-mate’s death ceremony for the second night in a row,” he confessed in a low, hoarse voice. “I just want to get out of camp. But, I don’t want to be alone.”

Frostmask gazed at Autumnleap, her heart twisting in pity for him. Like all of her clan-mates, he was thin, but his eyes were also weighed down by bags from sleepless nights. His pelt prickled with worry, and it looked like it hadn’t been washed in a couple of days.

Frostmask’s brow furrowed.

How had she not noticed earlier how distressed he was?

 _Maybe that’s because he’s always the one comforting and calming you, and not the other way around._ A guilty voice hissed at her in her head.

“Of course,” she said out loud to him.

Autumnleap looked up at her, relief flooding his amber eyes. Frostmask rose to her paws.

“Do you want to go now?” she asked.

Autumnleap nodded, quickly standing as well, and together the two of them slipped out of the camp.

As they wandered through the forest, Frostmask stayed alert for prey scent trails since ShadowClan couldn’t pass up any that came their way, but they weren’t really searching for prey. They mostly walked in silence, although Frostmask kept a close watch on Autumnleap from the corner of her eye. She noticed him relaxing more and more as they traveled deeper into their territory. Foggy breaths puffed from their mouths as they approached the Burnt Sycamore.

“Are you doing okay?” she asked him, breaking the silence.

He glanced at her with a blink of surprise.

“Yeah,” he said. “Being out of camp has helped clear my head.”

“That’s good,” she murmured, not quite looking him in the eye. “Although I also noticed your pelt doesn’t look like it’s been groomed recently.”

Autumnleap’s brow furrowed, and he glanced down at his fur as if noticing it for the first time.

“Well I’ve had a busy past few days,” he meowed. “Patrolling and hunting, and helping Poolcloud while Fogfur was dying…”

“I know,” Frostmask said quietly. “But, you need to take care of yourself too.”

Autumnleap’s nose scrunched up in a faint scowl. He was never one who appreciated being told what to do. Even if what he was doing was frog-brained, and he needed someone to tell him that.

_It’s probably why he and Pineshade are always butting heads. Two bossy cats who hate the other bossing them around!_

“I _am_ taking care of myself,” Autumnleap said.

Frostmask resisted the urge to snort disbelievingly.

_Doubtful._

Frostmask stopped walking in the clearing around the Burnt Sycamore so she could look at him properly.

“You know, you can tell me if there’s actually something else bothering you,” she said.

Autumnleap halted as well. He gazed at her, and for a moment, she saw a flash of hesitance on his face. Frostmask blinked as she was hit with a sudden flare of insight.

“Have you not told me because you’re afraid of making me upset?” she asked. “If there’s something wrong, I want to be able to help you.”

Autumnleap still hesitated, although now some guilt creeped across his expression, and she knew she guessed correctly. Annoyance needled at her.

_I’m not some fragile bird that needs to be protected!_

“I just don’t want to make you worry,” Autumnleap said finally.

“Follow me,” Frostmask said with a huff, whirling on her heel and striding to the base of the Burnt Sycamore.

“Where are we going?” he asked as he trailed after her.

“We’re continuing this conversation, but I just don’t want to keep standing out in the cold to have it,” Frostmask grumbled.

She found the hole in the roots that she was looking for and slipped inside. It was a small earthen den nestled between the ancient gnarled roots. Frostmask suspected it may have been made by a fox at some point, but whatever it was, it was long gone. ShadowClan would not allow such a dangerous predator to live right in the heart of their training hollow. Autumnleap followed her in. There was just enough room in the den for the two of them to sit comfortably next to each other.

A few heartbeats of awkward silence dragged by.

“It’s not a big deal,” Autumnleap said finally. “I know the past moon and a half has been really hard on you, ever since Sedgestar did… what he did. And, I don’t want to add to your stress.”

It was a reasonable point, but it didn’t make Frostmask feel any better. Instead she just muttered something incomprehensible, leaned over and rather aggressively began to groom his fur.

“What are you doing?” Autumnleap asked with a blink of surprise.

“Cleaning your pelt, frog-brain,” Frostmask growled between licks. “If you’re not going to do it, someone has to.”

Autumnleap pulled away from her, halting her grooming.

“Are you _mad_ at me?” Autumnleap asked incredulously.

Frostmask sighed sharply.

“I don’t know!” she said. “Kinda. But, not really. I’m annoyed that you won’t tell me what’s bothering you, even though I’m also just really relieved and grateful that you survived the day!”

“So what is it: relieved or annoyed?” Autumnleap asked, narrowing his amber eyes slightly.

“I don’t know!” Frostmask repeated, digging her claws into the ground. “Both I guess.”

Autumnleap clenched his teeth in frustration.

“You don’t make any sense,” he groaned.

Frostmask’s tail-tip twitched in annoyance.

“Tell me about it,” she grumbled.

To her surprise, a purr of amusement suddenly burst from Autumnleap. It might have been delirium from her growing exhaustion or from not eating for more than a day, but as he continued to laugh, Frostmask found herself unable to stop her own purr from rumbling louder and louder in her chest.

“Why are you laughing?” Frostmask asked as she tried to swallow back her hysterical purrs.

“You’re ridiculous,” Autumnleap gasped between the purrs that wracked his body.

“I’m ridiculous!? You’re the one who tried to convince me that nothing’s wrong when you look like you got hit by a monster!” Frostmask protested.

“Fine. We’re both ridiculous,” Autumnleap amended.

They purred together for a few moments longer, until the bout of senseless amusement began to fade. As they quieted, Frostmask found that her annoyance towards Autumnleap was gone. She just felt mostly drained and tired now.

“I just…” Frostmask spoke first, shuffling her paws. “I’m sorry about being snappy. I do just really want to help you though, if there’s something wrong.”

Autumnleap was quiet for a moment.

“It’s nothing in particular,” he said finally. “It’s been a hard season obviously, and lately I’ve just been worrying a lot about things. About the Clan. About you. And, then about Poolcloud especially with Fogfur…”

Autumnleap voice trailed off, and he was silent for a moment. But, then he rolled his eyes.

“And, I even worry about Pineshade sometimes,” he said, his whiskers twitching in a weak attempt at humor. “Even as frog-brained as she is.”

“I didn’t know so much was bothering you,” Frostmask said softly.

“I’m better at hiding my worry than you are,” Autumnleap said, giving a quiet, humorless purr.

“You can talk to me,” Frostmask murmured. “About anything… You know?”

Autumnleap scooted back closer to her, brushing his tail down her side reassuringly.

“I know,” he affirmed.

Frostmask turned her head and resumed her task of cleaning and smoothing his pelt, more gently this time. Autumnleap was quiet besides the soft purr that rumbled in his chest as she groomed him. A sense of peace settled over Frostmask. There was something rather tranquil about just the two of them being here in this small den, as if its walls could somehow protect them from the suffering that stalked their Clan just outside.

“I’m glad we got this chance to talk though because there’s something that I’ve been meaning to say to you,” Frostmask breathed, the words somehow slipping out with ease.

But, when Autumnleap glanced at her, she froze up like a mouse fixed beneath the heat of his gaze, and her words got stuck in her mouth.

“Yeah?” he asked, arching a brow.

Frostmask cleared her throat awkwardly and looked away from him, deciding to stare at the den wall instead.

“I um- Well I’ve been thinking more about _stuff,_ and I’ve been talking… to Pineshade actually, about it. She’s been surprisingly helpful,” she managed to say as her heart began to hammer rapidly.

“Wait. ‘Stuff?’” Autumnleap echoed, giving his head a small shake. “What ‘stuff?’”

Frostmask’s heart had jumped up to her throat.

“The conversation we had a couple of moons ago,” she murmured, forcing the words out quickly. “The one when you told me you loved me. I well- um- wanted to tell you that I- I love you too.”

Autumnleap was dead silence, forcing Frostmask to look at him and make sure he was okay. He was staring at her with his amber eyes stretched wide.

“You… you love me?” he echoed, blinking hard a few times.

Frostmask gave a shy nod.

“Yeah,” she whispered.

“…Really?” Autumnleap asked again, and Frostmask couldn’t stop a _mrrow_ of amusement.

“Yes, frog-brain. That’s what I said,” she teased gently as her nervousness faded.

Autumnleap began to purr, and he leaned over to rather forcefully rub his cheek against hers.

“Not so hard, you’re poking my eye with your fur!” Frostmask said, pulling away slightly, but a loud purr rumbled in her chest.

“Sorry!” Autumnleap said, looking like he was in a bit of a daze. “I’m just… really happy.”

He much more gently touched her cheek with his muzzle for a moment before pulling back again, blinking away his stunned expression.

“I’m wondering though, what spurned this change of heart?” he asked, before his eyes widened quickly. “I mean, not that I’m complaining, of course.”

His expression turned playful, which filled Frostmask’s chest with a fluttering feeling. She glanced away from him to try to gather her thoughts.

“Yeah, well, you know how I told you that I was afraid of getting attached and getting hurt if you died?” Frostmask said slowly. “I guess I decided that, since life is terrible and cats can die at any moment, instead of trying to isolate myself so I don’t get hurt, I should try to find as much happiness as I can, while I can. Before it’s gone. And, the poison today kinda just proved that.”

She glanced back over at Autumnleap to see a faint frown drifting across his features.

“I’m glad this is the option where you pick happiness,” he said. “But, I’m not convinced that overall this philosophy is much better than the last.”

Frostmask shrugged, brushing his concern off.

“Besides,” she added softly, brushing her pelt against his side. “…I realized that I couldn’t really stop myself from getting attached anyway.”

Autumnleap purred again, his mood shifting back from serious to playful. He shot her a cheeky glance.

“Well, I _have_ been told that I have an inescapable allure about me,” he said

Frostmask let out a huff of amusement, drawing away from him slightly so she could better look at his face.

“An _‘inescapable allure?’”_ she asked, raising a brow. “Really? And, who told you this? Yourself?”

“No! You did of course!” he exclaimed, purring. “Just now!”

A part of Frostmask wanted to roll her eyes in exasperation, but really she was just mostly pleased that Autumnleap was back to his old playful self after seeing him so downtrodden earlier.

“I definitely did _not_ use those words,” Frostmask teased, her tail-tip twitching.

“I don’t know. That’s what I heard,” Autumnleap insisted, his gaze sparkling with mischief.

“You’re insufferable,” Frostmask groaned, but she was still purring. “Don’t you dare let this go to your head.”

“‘Insufferable?’” he echoed, tilting his head to the side as if he was confused. “I actually have, on good authority, that I’m extremely likable. Some could say _lovable,_ even.”

His purr grew even louder.

“I was just told so by a very intelligent cat. I’d take her word for it, if I were you.”

Frostmask tried and failed to shoot him a serious glance.

“Stop this right now, or I’ll take it back,” she mock threatened.

Autumnleap met her ‘stern’ gaze with shining amber eyes.

“No. You won’t,” he purred, easily calling her bluff.

Frostmask sighed, but she purred too. She leaned back against him, and he rested his chin on the top of her head.

“No. I won’t,” she said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Frostmask: I’m so sad and stressed about everything, but I can’t share my secrets with Autumnleap. Also Frostmask: Why won’t Autumnleap tell me what’s wrong with him? >:(
> 
> Ah there’s nothing like immediate mortal peril to force you come to terms to terms with your feelings. I hope the ending lifted the mood a bit, because on the whole this chapter was quite the downer. By the way, did you all know that rat poison kills so horrifyingly?! It prevents blood from clotting so the animals basically bleed uncontrollably internally and externally until they die. I had no idea before doing research for this chapter. (And, now google probably thinks I’m planning on murdering someone with rat poison, oops.)
> 
> On that cheery note, Happy 2021! Thanks for reading and especially to those who left kudos and comments! :)


	39. War Games

Reflective eyes glowed softly from the deep shadows under the warriors’ den. Mud was already plastered to their pelts to disguise their scents and colors, so as Frostmask’s gaze drifted to Emberflower, the only way she was able to recognize her in the darkness was by the color of her pale green eyes. Anticipation prickled down Frostmask’s spine as she waited for the senior warrior’s signal. Emberflower waited a few moments longer for everyone to rise from their nests before she gave the group a nod. Frostmask and Pineshade turned together, ending up at the head of the patrol since the younger warriors’ nests were already closer to the exit of the den.

Frostmask glanced over at Pineshade, and the two of them shared an excited look as they slipped out of the den.

“I bet Lizardpaw notices us coming,” Frostmask breathed into her den-mate’s ear, her voice barely audible.

“No way,” Pineshade whispered back in equally hushed tones. “They’ll be out cold. Apprentices like their sleep too much.”

“Do you have so little faith in Cricketpaw?” Frostmask teased.

Pineshade’s whiskers twitched in amusement.

“All I’m saying is since even _I_ didn’t notice our mentors coming back when we were ‘paws, there’s no chance any of those fluff-balls will notice us,” Pineshade whispered.

“Of course. Pineshade the Infallible,” Frostmask purred.

The edges of Pineshade’s lips quirked up in a hint of a smirk, but she didn’t respond. Silence settled over the group as they emerged into the dark and still camp. Frostmask crouched down, preparing to stalk around the edge of the camp, sticking to the darkest shadows cast by the thorn wall, but she blinked in surprise as Dampfang suddenly appeared, brushing past her. His tail slapped her muzzle as he took her place at Pineshade’s side at the front of the patrol. Frostmask had to stop a growl of irritation from rumbling in her throat.

She gave her ears a small shake.

 _I’m going to be stuck with Dampfang all night._ She reminded herself. _I can’t let him ruffle my pelt so easily._

Frostmask resigned herself to the middle of the patrol. Redclaw slipped up to her side and gave her a friendly blink, which lifted her mood. Frostmask nodded back at Redclaw, and then focused her attention on the task at hand— hunting their apprentices.

It was ShadowClan tradition for each generation of apprentices to go through this sort of night-stalking exercise, but it would not be identical to the one which Frostmask experienced as an apprentice. Because of the fact that ShadowClan had such hostile relations with SkyClan and RiverClan at the moment, Sedgestar thought this would not only be a good opportunity to train the apprentices, but for the warriors to keep their skills sharp too. Rather than just having the mentors involved, he’d ordered a much larger patrol of warriors to participate in the exercise as well.

Privately, Frostmask also suspected that Sedgestar was doing this to keep the Clan’s spirit up. Morale had been extremely low since the poisoning a half-moon ago. No cats had died from poison since then, but Flymask had succumbed to green-cough and weakness, with food being even more scarce due to their limited hunting ranges. The previous gathering had even been canceled since the full-moon had been covered by clouds the entire night. Frostmask had heard whispers from her clan-mates about it being a bad omen sent from StarClan.

In general, cats were hungry and miserable. The one bright light in the Clan during this time was that Amberberry had given birth to four little kittens. But, even that joy had been tempered by the fact that the smallest and weakest kitten, a little golden tom that Amberberry and Kestrelflight had named Mintkit, had died a few days after birth.

Frostmask blinked away the depressing thoughts, giving her ears a small shake. Tonight was supposed to be exciting and fun for the apprentices and mentors alike. She could worry and be sad about things in the morning.

Frostmask glanced back at Emberflower, who used a few of Lizardpaw’s paw-signs to signal for the patrol to circle the holly bush that formed the apprentices’ den. Knowing how sensitive Lizardpaw was to vibrations on the ground from cats walking, Frostmask did her best to put her paws down as lightly as possible as she and the other mentors crept up to the den. The group of ShadowClan warriors slipped up to the edge of the bush, muscles tensing.

Frostmask’s ears pricked as she heard a soft shuffling sound coming from inside the den.

“Wha—?” Yewpaw’s sleepy voice meowed. “What is it?”

Emberflower flicked her tail in a signal to go, and Frostmask and the other mentors surged forward, wiggling beneath the bush, breaking or shoving parts of the den’s walls away in their rush to get inside.

Lizardpaw was already standing, his back to Frostmask as the mentors broke into the den. Cricketpaw let out a high pitched _“eep!”_ as Pineshade pounced on her. Yewpaw yowled in distress at the appearance of the shadowy figures, springing out of his nest. Frostmask swatted at Lizardpaw’s tail, and he whirled towards her, his teeth bared in a snarl for just an instant before recognition dawned in his eyes. By that time, the entire den had been overrun with mentors, and the apprentices’ shock and surprise waned as they realized there was no real threat.

“What’s going on?” Featherpaw demanded, stumbling to her paws.

“Is something wrong?” Hollowpaw’s wavering voice asked as she gazed around the den with wide eyes.

“Nothing’s wrong,” Emberflower reassured. “We were just testing your alertness. You all remember SkyClan’s attack on our camp earlier in leaf-bare. We always need to be prepared since enemies can show up at any time.”

“Tonight is a special night of training,” Pineshade added, her flicking tail betraying her eagerness. “You all must work together to succeed.”

“What are we doing? Where are we going?” Cedarpaw asked, his pelt pricking in anticipation as he stepped out of his nest.

Dampfang lightly batted Cedarpaw’s ears with a paw.

“Patience,” he scolded. “We will explain in a moment.”

Cedarpaw dipped his head obediently.

Emberflower nodded.

“Yes,” she meowed. “Take a few moments to get yourselves ready, and then meet us outside of the thorn barrier. We will talk more then.”

Emberflower nodded at the mentors, who turned and streamed back out of the den. The group swiftly headed out of the camp, where a small patrol of warriors consisting of just Autumnleap and Leafbreeze were sitting, waiting for them. Autumnleap sprung to his paws as soon as he saw Frostmask, greeting her with a warm purr. Frostmask purred in response, brushing her muzzle against his. He pulled back, sweeping a gaze over her mud plastered pelt.

“You look like the earth tried to swallow you whole,” he commented.

“Well we have to be camouflaged somehow,” Frostmask said, twitching her tail. “The apprentices have sharp wits.”

Autumnleap’s whiskers twitched.

“Ah, and how did scaring the tail off of them go?” he teased.

“Lizardpaw’s tail is still fully intact,” Frostmask retorted, fluffing her fur out indignantly. “And, he was actually already out of his nest when we got in the den. I think he sensed something was off.”

Autumnleap shrugged.

“I’m just saying that it feels a little mean,” he said. “When it happened to us, we’d never seen a battle, but these apprentices have. You probably scared them out of their wits, thinking SkyClan came back!”

Frostmask’s tail twitched guiltily. She hadn’t really considered that.

“Well they need to be prepared,” she mumbled. “SkyClan could come back.”

Autumnleap’s gaze softened, and he leaned forward to touch his muzzle to her forehead.

“I’m just teasing you,” he said. “I’m sure you didn’t permanently traumatize anyone.”

Frostmask swatted at his tail in punishment for his teasing, but Autumnleap whisked it away from her paws, purring. The thorn barrier rustled then, and the apprentices came padding out. Lizardpaw glanced at Frostmask, his eyes bright and curious. Frostmask straightened and signed _‘hello,’_ to him, doing her best to look the part of a wise mentor.

“Good, you’re all here,” Emberflower meowed, turning to the apprentices.

She began to paw-sign as well as speak as she explained the instructions to the group.

“So, here’s what’s going to happen. In this exercise there will be two groups. A smaller patrol consisting of you apprentices and a few warriors. Then a larger patrol of warriors who are out there.” Emberflower flicked her tail towards the trees to indicate the forest.

“This exercise will model a small, infiltrating patrol invading another Clan’s territory to retrieve an item. So, everywhere outside of the camp in this scenario is enemy territory for you all. Your patrol’s goal will be to reach the Burnt Sycamore. Somewhere by that tree, you will find a large deer bone. You all are to retrieve that bone and bring it back to camp.”

The apprentices nodded, their eyes lighting up with eagerness.

“However,” Emberflower continued, her tail flicking mischievously. “There will be ‘enemy’ warriors in the woods, whose job it is to stop you all. If you are subdued by any of these warriors, you become a prisoner and must obey the warriors’ commands. You remain a prisoner until another member of your patrol finds you and physically touches you. Then you are freed. Your patrol wins if you make it with the bone back to camp. However, you must return to camp with at least half of your patrol because a victory with devastating losses is hardly a victory at all. If the sun rises before you succeed in this task or if you all are taken prisoner, then the warriors’ patrol wins.”

Emberflower paused for breath, her gaze flicking over the apprentices.

“Any questions?” she asked.

Yewpaw raised his tail.

“Yes, Yewpaw?” Emberflower meowed.

“Can one of us bring the bone to camp and then go back to free the prisoners?” he asked.

“No,” Emberflower said. “Once the bone is in camp, the game is over. So it must be brought to the camp with the appropriate number of cats in the patrol if you want to win.”

Yewpaw nodded, his brow furrowing as if he already was thinking up a strategy.

“One more thing,” Emberflower said. “Leafbreeze, Autumnleap, and I will be on the patrol with you all, but it will be your job to tell us what to do. This is an assessment of your skills, so we will not offer any advice or guidance.”

“Think of us as your apprentices for the night,” Autumnleap purred, his tail twitching playfully.

“The rest of your mentors,” Emberflower continued, nodding towards Rowanheart, Redclaw, Frostmask, Pineshade and Dampfang. “Will be in charge of leading the group of warriors.”

Emberflower turned from the apprentices to look at the other mentors.

“Are we ready to begin?” she asked.

Redclaw nodded, rising to her paws.

“I think we are,” she meowed.

“Perfect,” Emberflower purred. “We will give you all a bit of a head-start, so you can reach the other warriors before the game begins.”

“Good luck!” Frostmask spoke and signed to the apprentices, blinking affectionately at Lizardpaw as she went to join the opposing patrol.

“You’re the one that’s gonna need it,” Autumnleap teased, narrowing his eyes at her.

“You wish, frog-brain!” Pineshade scoffed.

She flicked Autumnleap’s ear with her tail as she strode past him to stand at Frostmask’s side, raising her chin.

“You’ll be the first I’ll take prisoner,” Pineshade taunted.

“I’d like to see you try,” Autumnleap playfully threatened, baring his fangs.

Pineshade rumbled a growl back, her tail flicking eagerly.

“Children, don’t forget this is an exercise for the apprentices.” Redclaw’s voice was firm as she scolded Pineshade and Autumnleap, but her expression was fond.

“You know that I can never pass up an opportunity to hand Autumnleap his pelt,” Pineshade responded, her gaze unwavering from Autumnleap’s as the two of them sized each other up.

“Can you try to keep his pelt mostly in one piece?” Frostmask piped up. “I like it better that way.”

Autumnleap’s fierce stare shattered as he purred, and Pineshade’s sharp amber gaze flickered from him to Frostmask.

“You can’t be soft on Autumnleap tonight,” she warned. “Until sun-up he’s our enemy.”

“I’m pleased to see that you and Autumnleap already getting so into the game,” Emberflower said to Pineshade, her whiskers twitching in amusement. “But, you all should get going. We are wasting star-light.”

“Well maybe that’s all a part of our strategy,” Rowanheart chimed in with a teasing purr. “We win when the sun rises right?”

Emberflower arched a brow at her son before looking at Redclaw.

“If your patrol doesn’t leave in two heartbeats, I’ll release the apprentice patrol immediately, and you won’t get your head-start,” she warned, but there was a purr in her voice.

“Alright, alright! We’re going, keep your fur on,” Redclaw purred, glancing at the cats in her patrol. “Sorry everyone, you’ll have to finish practicing your smack-talk later.”

“There’ll be plenty of time when you’re all my prisoners!” Pineshade shouted the final jab over her shoulder as their patrol began to pad off into the trees.

They picked up their pace to a brisk trot, the frozen ground crunching under their feet as they bounded through the dark woods. They hadn’t run for too long though before Redclaw glanced over her shoulder at the rest of the group.

“We should split up,” she meowed. “Rowanheart and I will head to the Burnt Sycamore to join the defensive group there. Frostmask, Pineshade, and Dampfang, why don’t you three go find the offensive group? They should be waiting by the mossy log near the edge of the marsh.”

Everyone nodded in agreement, although Frostmask stiffened at the thought of being trapped with Dampfang, relying on Pineshade as their only buffer.

 _It won’t be for long… Just until we get to the patrol._ She tried to reassure herself.

The cats peeled off from each other. Frostmask slowed her pace slightly so she fell behind Dampfang and Pineshade.

_No need to antagonize him by staying in front._

Pineshade seemed to also notice the precarious situation the three of them were in because she shot an uncertain look from Dampfang to Frostmask.

“I know that neither of you is each other’s favorite cat in the forest,” Pineshade said drily. “But, could I make a request that you two don’t claw each other up? At least for tonight?”

Dampfang glanced back at Frostmask from over his shoulder, his eyes narrowing slightly. Frostmask couldn’t stop the reflexive bristling of her pelt when their gazes met, although she tried to keep her expression neutral.

“Alright,” Dampfang said. “We _are_ on the same team tonight.”

Frostmask’s ears pricked in surprise at how easily he agreed, but she gave him a curt nod of agreement. Dampfang looked back forward, and the three of them continued through the forest in silence.

Frostmask’s ears swiveled as the sound of trickling water caught her attention. They were approaching the stream. She knew not far away on the other bank was the mossy log that they were supposed to be meeting the rest of their patrol by.

Frostmask swallowed, her mouth going a bit dry at the thought of having to step into the water. She couldn’t recall an easy way to cross the stream in this area. Fallen logs and stepping stones were either up or downstream of them.

Frostmask set her jaw, hoping that Dampfang wouldn’t notice the nervousness in her expression as they reached the edge of the stream. The stream was small and shallow here, although water was running slightly faster than normal due to the recent snow melt. The width of the stream was also only four, maybe five fox-lengths across. Frostmask’s gaze brushed over the dark ripples, and she shuddered as her mind conjured up unhelpful thoughts about the vicious currents that may lurk just beneath the surface.

Dampfang and Pineshade didn’t even hesitate. They walked through the stream with only a few unpleasant grimaces and grumbles as the cold water splashed on their leg fur. In a matter of moments, they were on the other side, shaking droplets from their pelts. Frostmask lingered on the opposite bank, her fur bristling slightly and her gaze still flitting over the water as she weighed her options.

She knew her fear of the water was irrational. Dampfang and Pineshade were just fine, and they were just standing in it an instant ago. But, as Frostmask stared at the water, it still felt like her paws were frozen to the ground, refusing to move her forward, towards it.

Pineshade and Dampfang glanced back at her as they realized she wasn’t right behind them. Dampfang’s gaze swept over Frostmask, and his green eyes seemed to light up.

“What’s the matter, Frostmask?” he asked. “Afraid of getting your paws wet?”

Frostmask’s half-bristling fur stood up straight. She locked her gaze on Dampfang, shooting him the best furious look she could manage. Dampfang blinked at her, unbothered. In fact, he appeared _positively_ smug.

“I just don’t want to freeze my toes off later,” Frostmask growled, taking a jerky step back from the bank. “I’ll look for another place to cross.”

“We don’t have enough time for that,” Dampfang meowed impatiently, flicking his tail. “We need to alert the patrol that the apprentices are coming.”

“It’ll only take a moment,” Frostmask insisted, beginning to pad up the bank.

“If you’re not quick enough we’ll have to leave without you,” Dampfang warned.

Frostmask growled softly to herself.

Pineshade had been watching this exchange in silence, her head snapping from Frostmask to Dampfang and then back as if they had been batting a ball of moss back and forth. But, as Frostmask began to walk away from them, Pineshade stepped forward hesitantly.

“Maybe Dampfang’s right,” she said. “My paws aren’t too cold, Frostmask. You’ll be fine.”

Frostmask tensed, swallowing hard as she imagined the feeling of the hungry current tugging at her legs.

“No,” she meowed hurriedly, glancing at Pineshade from over her shoulder. “I’m shorter than you, and my fur is longer. My belly will get all wet too.”

“Why are you so scared of a little water?” Dampfang asked.

His tone made him sound genuinely puzzled, but as Frostmask glanced at him, she saw that his gaze still glinted with malicious amusement.

_Because you almost drowned me, you snake-heart!_

But, instead of saying anything, Frostmask just let out a vicious, wordless hiss.

Dampfang’s brow furrowed as he frowned at her.

“Why are you being like this?” he asked. “Didn’t we agree that we needed to work together tonight?”

Frostmask’s jaw fell open in shock, her mouth moving but no words coming out at first.

“M-me?!” Frostmask sputtered. “I’ve done nothing! You’re the one taunting me!”

Frostmask’s gaze flickered to Pineshade, searching for support.

“Pineshade! Tell him!” she meowed.

Pineshade glanced from Frostmask to Dampfang uncertainly, but Dampfang continued before she could decide to say anything.

“Well, you’re the one holding us all up because you don’t want to get your fur cold,” Dampfang rumbled. “That doesn’t sound like someone who is interested in helping her team. If you can’t get over yourself to work with me, maybe you should just go back to camp.”

Anger rolling in her belly, Frostmask bared her fangs at him, stalking back down the bank to be closer.

“I know what you’re doing you piece of snake-dung, and I’ll—“ Frostmask growled.

“You’ll what?” Dampfang challenged, interrupting her. “Walk through that stream, come over here, and stop me?”

Frostmask froze. Dampfang stared at her, his eyes glowing with victory. Frostmask looked away from him, digging her claws into the muddy bank as her stomach twisted with hot shame and humiliation.

“That’s what I thought,” Dampfang sneered. “Come on Pineshade.”

“I…” Pineshade said, still looking from Dampfang to Frostmask helplessly. “…We’ll meet back up with you later, Frostmask.”

Frostmask bit the inside of her cheek as she continued to stare at the ground, her muscles taunt with fury and embarrassment.

 **_No._ ** _I’m not getting run off by_ **_stupid_ ** _Dampfang._

Frostmask gaze flickered up, searching up and down the bank as she tried to figure out the closest place she could go to cross the stream. Her ears pricked with interest as a nearby sycamore caught her gaze. It was growing close to the bank, and one of its low branches stretched over the water, its tip reaching the other side.

Frostmask went bounding over to it, her pelt prickling. She sprung onto the trunk and climbed up to the low branch easily. She scrambled down the branch, fiercely telling herself to ignore the menacing water which was only a few fox-lengths below her, and at the end, she leapt down to the opposite bank without issue.

Clenching her jaw, she ran after Dampfang and Pineshade, catching up to them quickly. Dampfang’s ears pricked as she approached, greeting her with a surprised glare from over his shoulder. Frostmask curled her lip up at him but didn’t slow her pace. She brushed by Pineshade, who let out a mew of surprise, and ran ahead of them to the nearby mossy log and the dark silhouettes she could see waiting for them there.

One long-legged silhouette rose to their paws and walked over to greet them. Frostmask blinked hard as she drew closer and recognized Sedgestar.

He nodded at her in greeting.

“Hello Frostmask,” he said.

“Sedgestar, I didn’t realize you would be here,” Frostmask meowed, coming to a stop by him.

His amber eyes twinkled in the low light.

“And, let my warriors have all of the fun?” he asked, his tail-twitching playfully. “What’s the status?”

“The apprentice patrol should be on the move by now,” Frostmask reported. “Redclaw and Rowanheart went to alert the defensive patrol.”

“Good,” Sedgestar said with a nod, before turning his head to greet Pineshade and Dampfang as they padded up to them.

The rest of their patrol padded over to them. Frostmask lifted her tail in greeting to Dustleap, Marshnose, and Murmurstep. Once everyone had gathered around, Sedgestar turned back to Frostmask, Pineshade and Dampfang.

“Alright,” he meowed. “What’s next?”

Frostmask blinked in confusion.

“Wait, you’re not leading the patrol?” she asked.

“As I’m sure you all recall from the last battle, I will not always be there to direct every fight,” Sedgestar said, a hint of bitterness in his voice. “I’d like to see how my warriors manage without me. And, since this is an exercise for your apprentices, I think the responsibility should default to you three.”

Frostmask’s brow furrowed thoughtfully.

_Just us three? Is this another one of Sedgestar’s secret plots to test our potentials as deputies?_

Dampfang raised his chin.

“I won’t let you down,” he said solemnly. “Come on everyone, let’s get into position.”

Dampfang gestured for the patrol to follow him with a sweep of his tail before he turned back towards the woods. Pineshade was at his shoulder at the head of the patrol. Frostmask was happy to ditch their company, falling back to Murmurstep’s side as they trotted through the woods. The pale golden she-cat greeted her with a warm purr, which Frostmask easily returned.

“You have no idea how happy I am to see you,” Frostmask said, her voice hushed so she couldn’t be overheard. “I thought I was going to be stuck with cats with tadpoles instead of brains all night.”

Murmurstep winced in sympathy.

“Dampfang was being that bad, huh?” she asked, her ears angling back slightly.

 _“Unbearable,”_ Frostmask hissed in a low voice. “And, Pineshade just trails after him like some sort of lost kit! Ugh, it’s almost like she’s not even the same cat when she’s with him.”

Murmurstep frowned in concern.

“What happened?” she asked.

Frostmask’s tail flicked uneasily as their patrol arrived back at the bank of the stream, as if her just thinking about it summoned it. Luckily though, Dampfang and Pineshade, for whatever reason, had chosen to cross at a different area this time, and there were stepping stones here. Frostmask waited for her turn to cross, bounding over the slippery rocks before continuing her conversation with Murmurstep on the other side.

“We had to cross the stream to get the mossy log,” she said, gesturing back at it with her tail. “And, I’m… I’m scared of water.”

Frostmask’s ears warmed with shame at the confession, and she realized that this was probably the first time she’d ever admitted that out loud to anyone. But, something about Murmurstep’s attentive gaze and quiet disposition made her easy to talk to, and Murmurstep didn’t scoff at her for the fear, instead she just nodded sympathetically.

“Because of when you almost drowned as an apprentice?” Murmurstep guessed.

“Yeah,” Frostmask said, her tail flicking. “But, anyway so the part of the stream we ended up at had no easy way to cross. No fallen logs or stepping stones. Dampfang and Pineshade just walked through the water, but I wanted to go a little ways up or downstream so I didn’t have to do that. And, Dampfang just begins _taunting_ me for it. I don’t know if he figured out my fear just then, or if he’s known it for a while. But, he starts acting like I’m being the unreasonable one for holding the patrol up and starting an argument with him. When it was so clearly all _his_ fault for starting it! Also, I obviously still made it across the stream easily, even without getting wet, so it’s not like I slowed us down. Ugh, and the cat has some nerve too because he’s the reason I’m scared of water. He’s the one that knocked me into the river when I was an apprentice!”

Murmurstep nodded along as Frostmask ranted, her brow furrowed.

“And, what was Pineshade doing during all this?” she asked.

 _“Nothing,”_ Frostmask growled. “At the end Dampfang wanted to leave me there, and Pineshade just told me she would see me later.”

Frostmask huffed and rolled her eyes.

“I think she doesn’t say anything and goes along with him because she doesn’t want him to be mad at her,” Frostmask added.

“Normally you can’t stop Pineshade from giving her opinion on something even if you tried,” Murmurstep said in a quiet voice.

“Right?!” Frostmask said, her tail flicking. “That’s exactly what I mean.”

“Should we talk to her about it?” Murmurstep asked, gazing at Frostmask intently. “Sometime when Dampfang isn’t around?”

Frostmask shrugged, sighing.

“Believe me; I’ve tried,” she said. “But, she’s hopeless when it comes to him.”

“Maybe she doesn’t realize the effect he has on her,” Murmurstep pointed out. “We need to help her.”

“How can you help someone who doesn’t want to be helped?” Frostmask muttered bitterly.

Murmurstep’s concerned expression deepened into distress, and Frostmask felt a prickleof guilt for making her upset.

“Well maybe if _both_ of us—“ Frostmask began to backtrack, but she clamped her jaws shut as Sedgestar dropped back to Frostmask’s other side.

“Hello,” he said to her in his deep voice.

“Er— hi,” Frostmask meowed, giving her leader an awkward nod and silently hoping he hadn’t overheard her gossiping.

Clearly realizing that Sedgestar wanted to talk only to Frostmask, Murmurstep dipped her head to Sedgestar and made a swift exit by lengthening her stride and pulling ahead of them. Sedgestar’s amber gaze on Frostmask was unreadable as he flicked his ears towards the cats at the head of the patrol.

“You don’t want to be leading the patrol with Dampfang and Pineshade?” he asked, slightly tilting his head to the side.

“Well, you must know that Dampfang and I don’t get along that well,” Frostmask said, her tail twitching. “I figured things would go more smoothly if I just let him lead for now instead of us arguing over what to do.”

“Ah, so you are _letting_ him lead. But, he did not _take_ the leadership from you,” Sedgestar said, his eyes glinting.

Frostmask flicked her tail.

“Is there a difference?” she asked.

“What do you think?” Sedgestar said locking his intense gaze on hers. “You said it in a way that made me think so.”

Frostmask shrugged and glanced away from him.

“Of course I’d rather think that I’m letting him lead for now, instead of him having taken the choice away from me,” she said, staring out into the dark forest. “But, besides, we are only getting into position to find the apprentice patrol. It’s a simple enough task, but it’ll make him feel accomplished and secure in his position as ‘leader.’ So, maybe he’ll be less likely to feel challenged by me if I suggest something later, when it is important.”

“So, it was a calculated decision, then,” Sedgestar said. "You’re picking your battles.”

Frostmask glanced back over at Sedgestar, angling an ear at him.

“Why did you decide to have this conversation with me?” she challenged suddenly. “Is this an examination of the apprentices or of the mentors?”

Frostmask was surprised to see that Sedgestar’s amber eyes suddenly shimmered with warmth. He inclined his head to her.

“Perhaps it’s a bit of both,” he admitted. “That’s a very insightful observation, Frostmask.”

“Not really. You’re not nearly as sneaky as you think you are,” Frostmask said, the words slipping out before she could really think about them.

Sedgestar’s ears perked up, his eyes widening slightly with surprise. Frostmask immediately felt her stomach clench in anxiety, and she bowed her head to her leader in apology.

“Sir, I’m sorr—“

“No, it’s alright,” he said, interrupting her with a laugh.

Frostmask risked glancing up at him, and the tension drained from her shoulders as she saw that he was regarding her with curiosity and amusement.

“You don’t have to apologize,” Sedgestar continued, still purring. “Although I am a bit surprised at how boldly sardonic you’ve grown. A trait you picked up from Swoopstrike, I’m sure.”

_It’s a boldness I gained both from aging and from losing respect for you._

Frostmask dipped her head to him again, so he couldn’t read the thoughts in her eyes.

“I will try my best not to pass it on to Lizardpaw,” she said drily.

Sedgestar leaned towards her confidentiality.

“With Snakeeyes as his mother, I fear it’s already much too late for him,” he purred.

Frostmask surprised herself by purring in response— it was one of the first genuine laughs Sedgestar had pulled from her since the night of the battle in ShadowClan’s camp.

Silence lapsed over the patrol as they approached the area of the forest where the apprentice patrol may be prowling. Dampfang glanced back at the group.

“Split up in pairs or alone,” he ordered. “Comb through the forest and capture as many apprentices as you can. We are to stop them from getting to the Burnt Sycamore, or if that fails, stop them from returning to camp.”

_Everyone already knows that frog-brain._

But, Frostmask bit her tongue against the words. Challenging Dampfang still didn’t feel worth it. So instead, she just went over to Murmurstep, eager to claim her as her partner since she knew that Pineshade would surely want to be with Dampfang. The patrol split apart, stalking silently through the dark woods.

Frostmask’s every sense was alert for movement in the forest as she and Murmurstep searched for any sign of the apprentice patrol. They walked for a while before Frostmask froze as she spotted a fresh looking paw-print in some mud. Frostmask crept over to sniff it. It was a bit tricky to decipher the scent, the cats had clearly disguised themselves, but Frostmask noticed a few dark auburn hairs by the paw-print that unmistakably belonged to Autumnleap.

A pleased purr rumbled in Frostmask’s throat as she glanced up at Murmurstep.

“Let’s hurry,” she whispered. “They’re close.”

The two of them picked up their pace, loping through the dark pine forest. A shadow flashed ahead of them.

“There they are!” Frostmask hissed, doubling down her speed.

Three cats came into view— Autumnleap, Cedarpaw, and Yewpaw. They clearly realized that they were being pursued, but they didn’t slow to meet Frostmask and Murmurstep in battle. It made sense. The apprentice patrol couldn’t take prisoners like Frostmask’s group could, so they were better off avoiding fights if they were able. But, Frostmask also knew that if they could not lose her and Murmurstep, but also refused to face them, then Frostmask and Murmurstep could herd the three of them to reinforcements, liking resulting in all of them being captured.

It seemed that the group realized this as well because Frostmask could hear them whispering frantically amongst themselves, although Frostmask couldn’t quite make out what they were saying. But, then Autumnleap and Cedarpaw were dropping back towards Frostmask and Murmurstep, letting Yewpaw get away and continue towards the Burnt Sycamore.

Autumnleap and Cedarpaw whirled around to face them, and Frostmask sprung at Autumnleap without slowing her stride.

She had enough forward momentum to knock him off of his paws despite his greater size. Although, in the back of her mind, she had the nagging thought that this meant that he could now easily grab and over-power her. They tumbled a few times as Cedarpaw and Murmurstep leapt towards each other.

Frostmask could hear Autumnleap purring as they grappled with each other. Frostmask managed to pin him to the ground, and she peered down at him.

“You’re not taking this seriously,” she meowed. “This is real battle training!”

Autumnleap’s gaze sparkled mischievously.

“In that case…” Autumnleap said, his paws suddenly flashing up to tighten around her shoulders.

Frostmask yelped as he suddenly flipped his body around, Frostmask held tight in his grasp. She kicked out at him with her hind-paws to loosen his grip enough to slip away from him, and she retreated backwards a few tail-lengths to the base of a large pine tree. Behind Autumnleap, Frostmask saw Murmurstep and Cedarpaw were still locked in combat. Frostmask’s ears pricked in surprise. Cedarpaw had only been training for a couple of moons. She thought Murmurstep would be able to capture him quite easily, but he seemed to be holding his own against her. At least, for right now.

_What in the Stars has Dampfang been teaching him?_

But, Frostmask’s attention snapped back to her own fight as Autumnleap lunged towards her. Frostmask danced away from him, bouncing off of the pine’s roots and trunk to get enough leverage to spring clear over his head. Autumnleap whirled around to face her— now he was the one trapped against the base of the tree. He raised his brows in an impressed expression.

“How’d you learn those fancy dodges?” he asked.

“Surrender, and I’ll teach you,” Frostmask said, curling her lip back in something between a grin and a snarl.

Autumnleap flashed forward instead of responding. Frostmask sprung upwards, twisting and landing on his back. She dug her paws into his long fur, nipping at his scruff. Autumnleap immediately fell on his side, rolling to crush her beneath him, but she leapt off before he could, scrambling back out of his reach.

“Were you always this fast when we were apprentices?” Autumnleap huffed, shaking brown pine needles out of his fur as he got back to his paws.

Frostmask caught a flicker of movement behind Autumnleap out of the corner of her eye. It was Murmurstep slinking over towards him. Cedarpaw was gone; he must have either escaped or Murmurstep decided it would be better to let him go so that she and Frostmask could team up and capture at least one of them.

Frostmask was careful not to allow her gaze to drift over to Murmurstep and give her away.

_I should keep Autumnleap talking until she is within striking distance._

“If you were as small as me, you’d understand that you can’t afford to get caught,” Frostmask meowed.

Autumnleap angled an ear at her.

“Well, I think that if you try really—“ Autumnleap began.

What was sure to have been a clever remark was cut off as Murmurstep flashed towards him, knocking his hind-legs out from under him with a firm whack of her paw. Frostmask sprung onto Autumnleap’s shoulders then and with Murmurstep throwing her weight onto his hips, they managed to pin him to the ground.

“Ah! We captured you!” Frostmask meowed victoriously.

Autumnleap huffed.

“Alright, fine! I’m your prisoner,” he conceded from the ground. “Now get off me! I swear you two are stomping on my kidneys on purpose.”

Frostmask released him with a purr, although Murmurstep gave him a final jab on the back with her paw, her gaze glinting deviously. Autumnleap grunted at the sharp poke, shooting Murmurstep a reproachful look.

“I already agreed that I’m your prisoner! Torturing me is just cruel,” he complained.

He slowly pulled himself back to his feet.

“Alright, so now what are you two terrible, enemy warriors going to do with me?” he asked.

Frostmask and Murmurstep exchanged a look.

“Should we continue towards the Burnt Sycamore?” Frostmask asked. “Or wait for the apprentices to come back this way when they head to camp?”

“Or, we could meet up with the rest of the patrol,” Murmurstep suggested. “If enough cats have been taken prisoner, they will have to free some of them before they can return back to camp. It would definitely be easier to make them come to us, if possible.”

Frostmask nodded.

“Good idea,” she meowed.

The three of them headed back towards the area where their patrol had split up, keeping an eye out for any more cats in the apprentices’ patrol as they did so, while calling out to locate their own. As they walked, for all his earlier complaining, Autumnleap didn’t seem that upset about being a prisoner. He trotted at Frostmask’s side, their pelts brushing as he hummed cheerily to himself.

Frostmask nudged his shoulder with her muzzle.

“Try to seem a little more downtrodden,” she teased. “Or, cats are going to think that you let me capture you on purpose!”

Autumnleap heaved a dramatic sigh, flattening his ears.

“Oh no! Woe is me! I’m being forced to spend more time with Frostmask!” he cried out into the dark woods to no-one in particular.

“Yeah, that’s way more convincing,” Murmurstep said drily, rolling her eyes.

After a bit more walking, they managed to run across Sedgestar, Dustleap, and Dampfang, who had captured Emberflower and Hollowpaw. Pineshade had run off in pursuit of Cricketpaw, and no one was sure where Marshnose was at the moment. Since they did not yet have enough cats from the apprentice patrol captured to win, the group agreed to wait to ambush them on their way back to camp. Hopefully the defensive patrol at the Burnt Sycamore would be able to capture one or two from the apprentice patrol, and then if their patrol could get one more, the apprentice patrol would be forced to come back to free their companions before returning to camp.

Their patrol spread out, hiding in the deep shadows near tree trunks to wait for the apprentices to return. Frostmask kept Autumnleap close to her, making it her job to ensure that he wouldn’t be freed by another member of his patrol.

The moments passed slowly as they crouched in silence, but then Frostmask’s attention was pulled to a bright white pelt in the distance that cut through the darkness like a beacon. She tensed. It was Lizardpaw with Featherpaw and Cricketpaw, who had evidently escaped Pineshade. Lizardpaw had a long white object clenched in his jaws.

_The deer bone._

The group of apprentices was heading right towards where their patrol was lying in wait. Their tread was careful and their ears and eyes alert, but they continued closer to them, not realizing the trap they were walking into.

Dampfang was the first to spring out of hiding with a yowl, lunging towards the apprentices. Immediately the three of them scattered, taking off in opposite directions.

“Forget the others! Focus on retrieving the bone!” Dampfang shouted to the rest of their patrol.

Lizardpaw rocketed past Frostmask’s hiding place, and she shot out after him, gesturing for Autumnleap to follow her. Frostmask’s paws thrummed against the ground as she sprinted after her apprentice. Normally, he’d be faster than her, but Lizardpaw had done more running around the forest tonight than she had, and he was also carrying the large bone, so Frostmask found herself gaining on him. She panted hard as she drew closer, managing to close the final tail-length of distance between them as he stumbled slightly over the uneven ground.

Letting out a yowl of victory, Frostmask sprung on Lizardpaw, tackling him and knocking the bone out of his jaws. As they tumbled to a stop, Lizardpaw quickly went limp, surrendering to her. After flashing a few paw-signs to confirm that he was her prisoner, Frostmask got off of him and hurried over to where he had dropped the deer bone.

She blinked hard at it, her brow furrowing as she studied it more closely.

The bone was shaped oddly— it was kind of knobby instead of smooth, and was she imagining it, or did it smell a bit like pine sap…?

“You little—!” Frostmask gasped, whirling back towards Lizardpaw.

He stared at her with shimmering blue eyes, letting out a self-satisfied purr.

It wasn’t the bone at all, but a pine branch that had been stripped of its bark to look pale and white.

 _‘You tricked me!’_ Frostmask signed, her expression still offended, but her heart swelled with pride for her apprentice.

Lizardpaw nodded, licking his paw and smugly drawing his paw over his whiskers. Huffing and puffing, Autumnleap finally caught up to the two of them.

“You got Lizardpaw?” he asked. “And, the bone?”

Frostmask sighed heavily.

“It’s a branch,” she said, waving her paw at it.

Autumnleap burst into a purr.

“It worked!” he crowed, padding over to Lizardpaw to give him a congratulatory head-bump. “Fantastic job!”

Autumnleap turned back to Frostmask.

“It was all his idea, you know,” he said, still purring.

Frostmask purred as well.

“I’ve never been more proud to be fooled,” she meowed drily.

The sound of more paw-steps interrupted their conversation as Dampfang came running over to the three of them. His green eyes narrowed in confusion as his gaze flitted over Frostmask and Lizardpaw.

“Where is the deer bone?” he demanded bluntly.

“Lizardpaw didn’t have it,” Frostmask explained, gesturing towards the branch again. “It was just a stick that they disguised as the bone to be a decoy. The other apprentices may have even already made it back to camp with the real bone.”

Dampfang’s eyes widened in surprise and anger.

 _“What!”_ he snapped, his fur bristling. “You didn’t get the bone back?!”

Frostmask’s brow furrowed at Dampfang’s tone, and her tail began to twitch in annoyance.

“Yeah, that’s what I said,” Frostmask meowed. “Did anyone capture Featherpaw or Cricketpaw?”

“No! They managed to free Hollowpaw and ran off!” Dampfang hissed.

Frostmask shrugged.

“The apprentices probably won then,” she meowed. “As long as Redclaw’s patrol didn’t capture two of them.”

Dampfang started to pace, his tail lashing.

“Well, I would’ve never let them get away, if I had known that you couldn’t handle a task as simple as this,” Dampfang growled between his fangs.

Frostmask scowled at him, clenching her jaw as real anger started to bubble up to replace her annoyance.

_It’s not fair that he’s blaming this all on me!_

“Don’t be ridiculous. How was I supposed to know it was a decoy? You didn’t!” Frostmask accused.

“You—” Dampfang began before releasing a hissed breath through his fangs as if he was trying to keep his temper in check. “Of course _you_ would completely screw things up!”

A quiet growl rumbled in Frostmask’s throat.

“What’s wrong with you?! They’re our apprentices!” she snapped in exasperation. “Aren’t you happy that we’ve trained them well enough that they’ve won?!”

Dampfang stalked closer to her, his tail lashing.

“No. I’m _not_ happy that they’ve won because you’ve given them _no_ challenge! By being such an _idiot_ that you were tricked by a branch!” Dampfang snarled.

Frostmask fluffed her fur out in anger while Autumnleap rumbled a low, warning growl to Dampfang, prowling over to stand at Frostmask’s side.

“Lay off her, Dampfang,” Autumnleap said, his amber eyes smoldering in the darkness.

Dampfang turned to him, his lip curling back in an ugly snarl.

“This doesn’t involve you, Autumnleap,” Dampfang spat. “Back off.”

“It does involve me if you speak to Frostmask that way,” Autumnleap rumbled, taking a stride forward instead, bringing him and Dampfang almost nose-to-nose.

The two toms sized each other up, hard, corded muscles bunching beneath their coats. The tension between them crackled like lightning.

“Get out of my face,” Dampfang snarled, jabbing a paw hard against Autumnleap’s chest. “Go stand by that tree, _prisoner.”_

“I’m no one’s prisoner,” Autumnleap snarled back, baring gleaming fangs. “And, certainly not _yours.”_

Frostmask swallowed hard, her pelt still bristling, but now with fear and worry rather than anger. Autumnleap and Dampfang looked like they were only moments away from clawing each other’s pelts off. She took a step towards them, hoping to defuse the situation.

“We should all calm down,” she said. “It’s just a game.”

Dampfang whirled on her.

 _“Just a game?!”_ he exploded, hissing. _“You stupid frog-brain!_ We don’t do these exercises because it’s just a _game._ We do it because cats lives could depend on this training! Because _ShadowClan_ depends on it! If you had a drop of loyalty in your body, you’d understand that!”

“I’m just as loyal to ShadowClan as you are,” Frostmask spat back at him, planting her feet and stubbornly holding her ground.

She refused shrink back from him, even as he pressed himself closer, looming threateningly over her. Dampfang’s green eyes narrowed to furious slits, and he let out a wordless growl, his claws unsheathing. Now Frostmask did take a step back, her stomach flipping.

_Would Dampfang really attack me?!_

Frostmask felt the fur on her side stir as Lizardpaw suddenly appeared, stepping protectively between her and Dampfang. A look of surprise briefly flitted over Dampfang’s expression as Lizardpaw locked cold and angry blue eyes on him. But, Dampfang’s surprise was fleeting, and the expression was quickly replaced with an escalating look of fury.

“You think you scare me little kit?!” Dampfang snarled at Lizardpaw

Lizardpaw was as silent as always, only his blue eyes narrowing in response to Dampfang.

Frostmask wasn’t sure if Lizardpaw could fully understand what Dampfang was saying to him. It was dark, and he was shouting— both things that make it more difficult for Lizardpaw to lip-read. But, Dampfang’s body language was extremely clear.

“You useless, _waste_ of space,” Dampfang spat, his fur spiking out like a pinecone.

Hot anger rolled in Frostmask’s belly and a growl rumbled in her throat, but Dampfang continued ranting before she could even move a whisker.

“Both of you!” he snarled, whipping his head towards her. “You harm ShadowClan more than help it! Sedgestar should’ve never let Lizardpaw train as an apprentice, just like he should’ve never let you into this Clan! You disgusting fur-balls are better off rotting—“

Dampfang’s words cut off into a yowl as Autumnleap suddenly tackled him. The two went tumbling, hissing and spitting as clumps of fur flew.

Frostmask stomach lurched at the sight of droplets of blood clinging to the hairs. They were fighting with unsheathed claws. She sprung toward them.

“No! Autumnleap, stop!” she yowled.

She had to break them up. Although what Dampfang had been saying was horrible, all of their other clan-mates would see attacking a clan-mate as way worse.

Autumnleap ignored her, or maybe he just didn’t hear her, given how loudly he and Dampfang were snarling at each other.

Frostmask’s head whipped around as she heard yowls of alarm coming from the distance, and then the drumming of paw-steps as her clan-mates rushed over to the commotion, recognizing the sounds as a real fight rather than training. Frostmask turned back to the wrestling toms.

 _“Autumnleap!”_ Frostmask hissed pleadingly, hoping to get him off of Dampfang before their clan-mates arrived.

But, she had no such luck.

 _“Enough!”_ Sedgestar’s voice thundered as he barreled over to the fighting cats, his amber eyes narrowed in outrage.

Pineshade had reappeared, and she was right behind him. Her eyes were round with shock at the sight of her mate and her brother trying to tear the other to shreds.

Autumnleap and Dampfang finally broke apart at the sound of Sedgestar’s yowl. Both of them were panting as they backed away, still staring murderously at the other. New scratches adorned both of their pelts, and blood dripped down onto Autumnleap’s forehead.

“Autumnleap, your ear!” Frostmask gasped as she rushed to his side.

Dampfang had torn off the tip of his right ear, leaving a deep V in it.

“I’m okay,” Autumnleap muttered, although when Frostmask gently rasped her tongue over the wound, he winced.

“What happened here?” Sedgestar hissed through clenched fangs, his tail lashing.

The rest of their patrol had appeared to gather behind Sedgestar and stare at Autumnleap and Dampfang like silent, wide-eyed owls.

“Autumnleap attacked me!” Dampfang snarled.

Dampfang had a nick on his lip, and he spat bloody saliva onto the ground as Pineshade crept over to him to inspect his wounds. Sedgestar turned his glare on Autumnleap, his gaze furious.

“Is this true?” he demanded.

Autumnleap raised his chin.

“Yes, but Dampfang provoked—“ Autumnleap began.

 _“Silence,”_ Sedgestar hissed, cutting him off. “It doesn’t matter what Dampfang said, this never should’ve come to blows. We are one Clan! We do not fight ourselves!”

Autumnleap’s jaw fell open in shock, but Frostmask brushed her tail over his muzzle before he could say anything and possibly make Sedgestar more mad. She leaned in close to his ear.

“We can speak to Sedgestar later, privately,” she said in a hissed whisper. “He’ll be more willing to listen when he’s less angry, and you’ll have me and Lizardpaw backing your defense up.”

Autumnleap reluctantly closed his mouth again, giving a small nod, although his brow was still knit in anger. Sedgestar spent a few more moments glaring at the cats in front of him in silence as if he was waiting for someone else to speak up and challenge him.

“Everyone back to camp,” he growled finally. “Dampfang and Autumnleap, go see Clearstream and Elmclaw about your scratches and then come speak to me for your punishments. I hope you’re pleased that we have to use our precious herb stock to treat your pointless cuts.”

“Wait, you’re not planning on punishing me, are you?!” Dampfang said, his eyes widening in indignation. “Even though Autumnleap was the one who attacked me?!”

Sedgestar rumbled a low growl, his head whipping towards Dampfang.

“I will discipline you both as I see fit,” Sedgestar spat. “Now, get out of my sight before you make things worse for yourself.”

His pelt still bristling, Sedgestar whirled around and stalked off into the forest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Someone finally punches Dampfang.
> 
> Thank you everyone for reading and especially to those who left comments and kudos! See you next time!


End file.
